as in blotches
a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part
the bleach left a small white splotch on my shirt
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in sprinkles
to mark with small spots especially unevenly
ink from a leaking pen had badly splotched his shirt pocket
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of splotches
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2026
Tucked into a valley in the south of Iceland, this 82-foot-long outdoor pool feels as wild as its setting; a concrete haven jutting from the side of the basalt rock cliffs, draped in splotches of moss.
—Lauren Breedlove, Outside, 3 Mar. 2026
Various images circulating on social media show the Rigid Levi’s x Air Jordan 3 SP with splotches of what appears to be mold across its blue denim upper.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 22 Feb. 2026
Together, the splotches represent a kind of neural signature for craving.
—Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Deer print nails give classic polka dots a more rustic, fanciful feel as the precise dots are replaced with freehand splotches.
—Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 28 Jan. 2026
The sun’s activity rises and falls over an 11-year cycle that is measured by the number of sunspots, dark splotches that dot our star’s surface and that are associated with magnetic storms.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 19 Nov. 2025
Satellite photos of New Carlisle, Indiana, show greenish splotches of farmland transformed into unmistakable industrial parks in less than a year’s time.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
Those orange splotches on the canister surface?
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
Types Of Mangaves ‘Bad Hair Day’ has narrow lime-green leaves with red splotches and a fun, cascading habit.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2026
Tucked into a valley in the south of Iceland, this 82-foot-long outdoor pool feels as wild as its setting; a concrete haven jutting from the side of the basalt rock cliffs, draped in splotches of moss.
—Lauren Breedlove, Outside, 3 Mar. 2026
Various images circulating on social media show the Rigid Levi’s x Air Jordan 3 SP with splotches of what appears to be mold across its blue denim upper.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 22 Feb. 2026
Together, the splotches represent a kind of neural signature for craving.
—Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Deer print nails give classic polka dots a more rustic, fanciful feel as the precise dots are replaced with freehand splotches.
—Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 28 Jan. 2026
The sun’s activity rises and falls over an 11-year cycle that is measured by the number of sunspots, dark splotches that dot our star’s surface and that are associated with magnetic storms.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 19 Nov. 2025
Satellite photos of New Carlisle, Indiana, show greenish splotches of farmland transformed into unmistakable industrial parks in less than a year’s time.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
Those orange splotches on the canister surface?
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for splotches
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
-
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
-
Berber carpet Berber is a type of loop pile carpet with flecks of color.—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
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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
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Barnett dots up Knight for a 57-yard catch-and-run.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
28 Oct. 2025
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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
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The specks of light are small bombs, each carrying up to 11 pounds of explosives, which are released at high altitude from the head of the missile before raining down indiscriminately over a wide area.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
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These generally appear as white bumps or specks that encrust the stems, branches, and undersides of leaves and suck the sap.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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The space will feature a customization station where festivalgoers can decorate Gap hoodies with exclusive patches, beads, charms and more.—
Zara Irshad,
San Francisco Chronicle,
17 Mar. 2026
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Tablets like Dramamine take up almost no space in your bag, but there are plenty of alternatives, too, like ginger chews or motion sickness patches.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Across the room, Alex spots Mary, who is drawing people in effortlessly.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
18 Mar. 2026
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The West of England Wildlife Index gives individual observations a framework to feed into — a volunteer spots something unusual, a DNA sample gets extracted and sequenced at a university, and a new species record gets confirmed.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Splotches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/splotches. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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