as in colored
marked by a variety of usually vivid colors
polychrome pottery featuring designs from the American Southwest
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Recent Examples of polychrome
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 28 Jan. 2026
Its chandeliers are made of handblown Murano glass, its bathrooms of polychrome Italian marble.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 30 June 2025
Coat of black silk satin brocaded with polychrome silk thread in a pattern of tulips; belt of black silk satin; blouse of white silk-cotton batiste; skirt of beige cotton-linen twill.
—Irene Kim, Vogue, 28 June 2024
In the artist Eddie Martinez’s dense, polychrome paintings, each mark is haunted by the gesture that made it and each color seems to demand its own verb: The thick gray drips; a bright red streak declares; a daub of blue hesitates.
—Phoebe Chen, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2023
Hudson’s Birdie shows up with suitcases full of rich-hippie clothes, including a mesmerizing polychrome swirl of a dress that nearly hypnotizes the other guests into a stupor.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 22 Nov. 2022
La Grande Dame is made of carved and polychrome wood that has been painted with imagery alluding to a rich tapestry of cultural references, including ancient folklore, witchcraft, and an Egyptian creation myth.
—Karen K. Ho, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2019
Adjective
In Morrisania, Alexander Gorlin’s polychrome supportive-housing center, El Borinquen, exudes a salsa vibe in a Corbusian frame.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 28 Jan. 2026
Its chandeliers are made of handblown Murano glass, its bathrooms of polychrome Italian marble.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 30 June 2025
Coat of black silk satin brocaded with polychrome silk thread in a pattern of tulips; belt of black silk satin; blouse of white silk-cotton batiste; skirt of beige cotton-linen twill.
—Irene Kim, Vogue, 28 June 2024
In the artist Eddie Martinez’s dense, polychrome paintings, each mark is haunted by the gesture that made it and each color seems to demand its own verb: The thick gray drips; a bright red streak declares; a daub of blue hesitates.
—Phoebe Chen, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2023
Hudson’s Birdie shows up with suitcases full of rich-hippie clothes, including a mesmerizing polychrome swirl of a dress that nearly hypnotizes the other guests into a stupor.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 22 Nov. 2022
La Grande Dame is made of carved and polychrome wood that has been painted with imagery alluding to a rich tapestry of cultural references, including ancient folklore, witchcraft, and an Egyptian creation myth.
—Karen K. Ho, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for polychrome
Adjective
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Elementary, middle, high and specialty schools are coded with differently colored dots.—
Data Reporter,
Austin American Statesman,
23 Feb. 2026
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Some eagle-eyed observers even shared close-up screen grabs of this seer, showing her to have different colored eyes.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The marbling effect of this manicure aggregates the polish at the tip of each nail, but diffuses the border of the nail tips and pulls the color down towards the base in a watercolor style.—
Sunnah Rasheed,
InStyle,
24 Jan. 2026
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Prime rib is a desirable cut of beef, known for its rich flavor and marbling from fat.—
Sarah Bence,
Verywell Health,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
From the colorful, floppy hairstyles of Korean boy band Stray Kids, or the non-binary wardrobes of trailblazing singers like G-Dragon of Big Bang and Seonghwa of ATEEZ, K-pop’s male idols have long fostered diverse expressions of masculinity.—
Kati Chitrakorn,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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The colorful artworks largely depict the sensual hedonistic lifestyles of city dwellers including merchants, courtesans and kabuki actors.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But Tariq’s body was already cold, and his skin was mottled.—
Ben Taub,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
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Shiny and dark evergreen foliage is held aloft on strong, arching stems mottled with purple flecks.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
21 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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For instance my friend Peter Lucas has used the science of fracture mechanics to explain why mammals have such varied designs of teeth.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The varied body of work earned three Emmy Awards and an honorary Academy Award.—
Kevin Crust,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In my two-level penthouse suite, for example, quietly floral wallpaper, gray-velvet sofas and armchairs, and patterned cream tiles with gold accents in the bathrooms made for a sophisticated, yet welcoming space.—
Megan Spurrell,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Jan. 2026
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The institutions studied by political scientists do not exist outside ideology but are simply patterned instances of ideology—and if ideology changes drastically enough, the institutions change with it.—
Jason Blakely,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Adept anglers can fly-fish for them across the varied terrain of the property’s creeks or patrol the marshy perimeters its six Class A lakes for the coveted catch, as well as fellow trout—namely rainbow, brown, and brook–that often exceed 20 inches.—
Alexandra Kirkman,
Robb Report,
29 May 2025
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Suspended from the fashionable wooden arch are a teething ring, crinkly rainbow, rattle, mirror, and plush moon to promote hand-eye coordination.—
Pamela Brill,
Parents,
24 Oct. 2024
Verb
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During a Slovakia line change, Team USA’s Zach Werenski laced a pass to Dylan Larkin, who recognized the opportunity and was streaking open up the center of the ice.—
The Sports Desk,
NBC news,
20 Feb. 2026
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Drones that roll on wheels, fly on rotors, streak through the skies on jets, sail the seas with diesels, or lurk beneath the waves with electric motors are already demonstrating their advantages.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Polychrome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/polychrome. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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