splotches 1 of 2

noun

plural of splotch
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

Relevance

splotches

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of splotch
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of splotches
Noun
After some workers manually fished out algae and additional filtration machines were installed, the water has turned mostly blue again, with some splotches of lime green. — Jesús Rodríguez, New Yorker, 25 June 2026 Curate a collection of bright colors, applying in dots, blobs, and splotches for an elevated art school vibe. — Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 19 June 2026 Proper prep work is essential for a smooth, durable finish to avoid flaws, peeling, streaks, or splotches. — Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 June 2026 Patients with melasma, a skin condition that causes brown splotches to appear on the face, need to be especially careful about wearing SPF in summer months. — Julia Landwehr, Health, 5 June 2026 Its flowers are huge and orange, marked or mottled with maroon splotches. — Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026 The resulting mess of colors and splotches would be impossible to put back together, even using a quantum computer, according to the research. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 27 May 2026 Mold doesn’t always announce itself with dark splotches on a wall or ceiling. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 9 May 2026 Die große Nacht im Eimer (The Big Night Down the Drain), made that year, depicts a figure of indiscernible age with a cadaverous pallor and yellow splotches, brandishing an oversized phallus beneath a soot-black veil. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for splotches
  1. blotches
  2. sprinkles
  3. flecks
  4. dots
  5. specks
  6. stains
  7. patches
  8. spots
Noun
  • Verticillium wilt causes similar blotches and yellowing.
    — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 June 2026
  • Pine snakes can grow up to 56 inches in length, have black, brown, and russet scales with dark blotches along their backs, and are noted for having a pointed nose, which experts believe may help with burrowing.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
Definition of blotches
Verb
  • Kemery sprinkles the tiny seeds either in late fall or very early spring, when there’s still a chance of frost, since cold spells offer the best germination.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026
  • Thomson sprinkles critique throughout his book like seasoning unevenly applied to a gamey piece of meat.
    — Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
Definition of sprinkles
Noun
  • Light streams through the frosted glass, catching flecks of dust.
    — Ashley Andreou, STAT, 22 June 2026
  • But flecks of green were visible throughout the stadium as Algeria fans made their presence known as well.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 17 June 2026
Definition of flecks
Verb
  • Prepare to be dazzled from Warsaw’s highest viewing terrace atop Varso Tower, which proudly dots the skyline, before eating your way through the innovative food halls that define the coolest neighborhoods.
    — Kasia Dietz, Travel + Leisure, 13 May 2026
  • Japanese linens top the bed, and designer furniture dots the living space.
    — Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 1 May 2026
Definition of dots
Noun
  • Six months later, there was hope of reconciliation as sovereignty talks opened between the governments over the specks in the ocean that had been part of the British Empire for more than a century.
    — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 July 2026
  • Bellinger, once a babyface, now sports some light specks of gray.
    — Johnny Flores Jr, New York Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of specks
Verb
  • When that protective finish gets damaged, the toilet actually stains easier and is harder to keep clean over time.
    — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 24 May 2026
  • What Sacks doesn’t get is that by financing and diplomatically supporting Israel, our country makes the crimes of the Israeli government possible, which stains America’s reputation in the world and drains our Treasury.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Definition of stains
Noun
  • Right on the heels of Microsoft releasing a record number of security patches, a researcher has published exploit code that can enable low-privilege Windows accounts to make sensitive changes to administrator accounts.
    — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 15 July 2026
  • Last month, the Food and Drug Administration proposed easing prescribing limits on testosterone gels, pills, patches and injections.
    — Konstantin Toropin, Fortune, 15 July 2026
Definition of patches
Verb
  • Imagine a supply chain agent that checks inventory levels regularly, spots potential shortfalls, keeps a list of alternative suppliers and makes purchases when needed.
    — Greg Pavlik, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • The venue that emphasized cocktails was run by Pearl Street Hospitality, the group behind Denver spots Hudson Hill, Lady Jane and The Wild.
    — Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 25 June 2026
Definition of spots

Browse Nearby Words

splotched
splotches
splotching
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Splotches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/splotches. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on splotches

Nglish: Translation of splotches for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All