waxen

adjective

Definition of waxennext
as in sallow

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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 waxen Instead, the moss’s telltale sign of woe is its glum, grayish hue, a waxen appearance that comes from ferns and algae that have crept over it. — Sabrina Imbler, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Dec. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waxen
  1. sallow
  2. waxy
  3. pallid
  4. ashen
  5. sickly
  6. pale
  7. cadaverous
  8. ashy
Adjective
  • The women looked terrible—bruised and sallow—and smelled even worse.
    — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The colors are really sallow and kind of ugly.
    — Marah Eakin, Vulture, 14 May 2026
Definition of sallow
Adjective
  • But hot temps can turn them into a waxy mess before your eyes.
    — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 June 2026
  • White phosphorus is a solid, waxy chemical that ignites instantly when combined with oxygen.
    — Stephan Bisaha, NPR, 6 June 2026
Definition of waxy
Adjective
  • Their bulging eyes stare back at the Queen’s Consort, empty in pallid faces.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • His first pitch brought in between five and eight residents but was met with pallid responses.
    — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 8 July 2026
Definition of pallid
Adjective
  • If untreated, the condition causes severe symptoms such as trouble breathing, skin rashes, weak pulse and ashen or bluish skin.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The late August lunar eclipse may appear orange-yellow, coppery red, chocolate brown or ashen gray, depending on atmospheric dust, volcanic activity and other conditions, the almanac said.
    — Saleen Martin, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of ashen
Adjective
  • Seeing her daughter in that state, babbling nonsense and barely able to stand, Letizia had goggled with the watery eyes of a sickly old lady.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The woman’s body, painted in blazing magenta, is wrapped around a man rendered in sickly olive green, her head disappearing into his chest.
    — Carmen Rosenberg-Miller, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of sickly
Adjective
  • Still, all the traumas that informed the album pale in comparison to losing Snider in November 2025.
    — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 15 Aug. 2026
  • And all the colorways are so cute, from the pale blue and gray to the unexpected burgundy and violet combo.
    — Cheryl Wagemann, InStyle, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of pale
Adjective
  • 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
  • As the hulking creature, the Australian star appears to have pale, cadaverous skin with lacerations across it and long, stringy hair.
    — Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
Definition of cadaverous
Adjective
  • When smoke lingers over a grape in that state, the volatile phenols will bind with the sugars in the grape skins, giving the fruit a smoky, sanguine, ashy taste.
    — Kate Dingwall, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 July 2026
  • For years, many sunscreens left behind a noticeable white cast, looked ashy on deeper complexions, or felt heavy and greasy on the skin.
    — Corein Carter, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of ashy

Browse Nearby Words

waxed
waxen
waxes
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Waxen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waxen. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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