as in flecks
a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part
the cat has a speckle of orange right at her whiskers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in sprinkles
to mark with small spots especially unevenly
speckled the cookies with colored sugar
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of speckles
Molly Burford, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026
There are more than 800 different varieties of camellias throughout the park, ranging from white to deep red solid flowers to multi-colored petals with spots and speckles.
—Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 28 Jan. 2026
For example, 'Pink Splash’ features hot pink streaks on deep green leaves, and ‘Snow White’ has white speckles on deep green leaves.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Jan. 2026
White speckles dot the purple mold, while a gradient sole unit runs through blue, purple and pink.
—Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 2 Jan. 2026
Their belly is white with black speckles while their wings and back are black with white.
—Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 30 Oct. 2025
The most prosaic explanation is that Villarroel’s transients are simply artifacts in the photographic plates such as speckles of dust, blobs in the emulsion or even radioactive particles.
—Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2025
The blanket, wrapped tightly around a baby, and its flourishes of red embroidery looking eerily like speckles of blood.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 24 Sep. 2025
Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
This includes checking for the aforementioned signs, such as yellow leaves, spots, speckles, and stickiness, but most importantly, inspecting the plants for bugs and eggs on their leaves, containers, and surrounding areas.
—Molly Burford, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026
There are more than 800 different varieties of camellias throughout the park, ranging from white to deep red solid flowers to multi-colored petals with spots and speckles.
—Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 28 Jan. 2026
For example, 'Pink Splash’ features hot pink streaks on deep green leaves, and ‘Snow White’ has white speckles on deep green leaves.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Jan. 2026
White speckles dot the purple mold, while a gradient sole unit runs through blue, purple and pink.
—Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 2 Jan. 2026
Their belly is white with black speckles while their wings and back are black with white.
—Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 30 Oct. 2025
The most prosaic explanation is that Villarroel’s transients are simply artifacts in the photographic plates such as speckles of dust, blobs in the emulsion or even radioactive particles.
—Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2025
The blanket, wrapped tightly around a baby, and its flourishes of red embroidery looking eerily like speckles of blood.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 24 Sep. 2025
Verb
The same kind of misunderstanding speckles the discourse around Live Laugh Love, his stellar new album.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speckles
Noun
-
Berber carpet Berber is a type of loop pile carpet with flecks of color.—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Using x-ray fluorescence spectrometry, scholars determined that the ancient off-white fluid was composed of calcite, huntite, and miniscule flecks of yellow orpiment, a highly toxic sulfide of arsenic that Egyptians also used in medicine to treat syphilis and malaria.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Groff sprinkles this punchy, athletic syntax over a slew of intricate settings.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Much like Knives Out, the movie takes a much more lighthearted approach and sprinkles humor throughout.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
15 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Learning how to apply mascara correctly can level up your whole eye look—but without the proper technique, even the best mascara can leave you with clumps, smears, or black specks across your face.—
Ariana Yaptangco,
Glamour,
20 Mar. 2026
-
On Saturday, a gruesome smear of dark red blood could still be found on the sidewalk, with specks of blood being found near a Citi Bike charging station.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Barnett dots up Knight for a 57-yard catch-and-run.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Rather than the stiff alien chitchat that dots his own screenplays, the characters in The Favourite trade the witty, venomous bon mots of The Great creator Tony McNamara.—
A.A. Dowd,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Its purple black center was surrounded by blotches of varying shades and textures, raised or sunken at places.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Feb. 2026
-
These blotches are fairly plant friendly and produce what is known as algal leaf spot.—
Brian Bell,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Every failure of the state now stains the turban as well as the uniform.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
5 Mar. 2026
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The piercing doesn't necessarily damage the trees, but their excrement, which is high in sugar, stains the trees and blocks photosynthesis, which eventually suffocates the trees, the researchers said.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Sediment samples near the torpedo compartment showed no evidence of plutonium leakage from the nuclear warheads, indicating titanium patches applied by Soviet and Russian expeditions in 1994 remain effective.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
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Firefighters and experts said the blazes perhaps signal an expanding frontier for fire risk in broader patches of the United States.—
Brianna Sacks,
Washington Post,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Speckles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speckles. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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