as in iridescent
having a rainbowlike play of colors
once given away as a cheap prize at carnivals, this opalescent glass is now highly prized by collectors
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Recent Examples of opalescent
The quality of the light not quite the same, softer, more opalescent, and part of the pool in the shade, making the water there look flat and deep.
—
David Szalay, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2024
Her nails, designed by her go-to nail artist Miho Okawara, were a long almond shape painted with an iridescent pale gray with an opalescent finish that shifted from pale pink to pale blue with the light.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 21 Oct. 2024
Inside a wet glint, opalescent, full as an egg
of creamy gray shadow, sediment
ground down finely and suspended
like a verdict in a tone.
—Frances Leviston, The New York Review of Books, 26 Sep. 2024
Available in over a dozen options—from the light periwinkle (Dream Much) seen here, with inflections of pink and silver, to metallic and opalescent white—there are a variety of pretty shades and finishes to choose from.
—Allure, 3 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for opalescent 
David Szalay, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2024
Her nails, designed by her go-to nail artist Miho Okawara, were a long almond shape painted with an iridescent pale gray with an opalescent finish that shifted from pale pink to pale blue with the light.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 21 Oct. 2024
Inside a wet glint, opalescent, full as an egg
of creamy gray shadow, sediment
ground down finely and suspended
like a verdict in a tone.
—Frances Leviston, The New York Review of Books, 26 Sep. 2024
Available in over a dozen options—from the light periwinkle (Dream Much) seen here, with inflections of pink and silver, to metallic and opalescent white—there are a variety of pretty shades and finishes to choose from.
—Allure, 3 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for opalescent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opalescent
Adjective
-
But the slightly iridescent animal turned out to be a new species.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
16 Jan. 2025
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The water is emerald and aquamarine in color, sometimes naturally iridescent with rainbow shimmers.—
Ann Abel,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Tiffany has a long-standing history with pearls, both nacreous—from oysters and mollusks—and non-nacreous, like Melo Melo pearls.—
Stellene Volandes,
Town & Country,
20 Feb. 2021
-
Unfortunately, nacreous clouds also support chemical reactions that convert benign chlorine-containing molecules into a form that destroys Earth’s ozone layer.—
Rebecca Coffey,
Discover Magazine,
29 Jan. 2012
Adjective
-
Her program prioritizes outside time and operates out of several yurt-style classrooms brimming with natural light and colorful Montessori materials.—
Kerry McDonald,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
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Every home is haunted by its previous residents, but prewar apartments in the Village have particularly colorful ghosts.—
Michael Schulman,
The New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The straps—matching in either blue or pink—are also given an elevated, somewhat dressy finish that creates a pearlescent effect.—
Paige Reddinger,
Robb Report,
21 Jan. 2025
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Pro Volume contains pearlescent shimmer whereas SuperShines’ 11 shades are sheer and shimmer-free.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
26 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near opalescent
Cite this Entry
“Opalescent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opalescent. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.
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