1
as in faded
lacking intensity of color
we chose a very pale pink for the walls of the room
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pallid
lacking a healthy skin color
after a week with the flu, she was deathly pale and noticeably thinner
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3
as in vague
not seen or understood clearly
a pale outline off in the distance proved to be someone out for a walk
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as in to bleach
to make white or whiter by removing color
the sun eventually paled my bright blue shirt
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as in paling
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pale
Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2025
To pair with it, fronts peaked through a deep, matte red lipstick while oversized eyeliner and pale orange shadow was smudged against her hazel eyes.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 4 Apr. 2025
Justin Birnbaum, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
That moment pales in comparison to the current Gen-Z folk-pop craze, as superstars like Noah Kahan and Zach Bryan fill football stadiums with their acoustic guitar.
—Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2025
Scott Phillips, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025
This has been more than a little distressing to Emilia Pérez’s many online detractors, from whom the musical’s razzle-dazzle showmanship pales in comparison to its hamfisted approach to trans issues and its artificial vision of Mexico.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pale
Adjective
Larvae are pale green or yellowish green with a brown head and tiny, hairlike bristles.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2025
To pair with it, fronts peaked through a deep, matte red lipstick while oversized eyeliner and pale orange shadow was smudged against her hazel eyes.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
Angel City led the NWSL with more than $30 million in revenue in 2024, but that figure pales in comparison with the team’s Major League Soccer counterpart (and landlord at BMO Stadium) LAFC, which posted revenue of $155 million.
—Justin Birnbaum, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
That moment pales in comparison to the current Gen-Z folk-pop craze, as superstars like Noah Kahan and Zach Bryan fill football stadiums with their acoustic guitar.
—Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2025
Noun
Although Cunningham is shooting a respectable 35 percent from the floor, that mark pales in comparison to the other seven players in the competition.
—Scott Phillips, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025
This has been more than a little distressing to Emilia Pérez’s many online detractors, from whom the musical’s razzle-dazzle showmanship pales in comparison to its hamfisted approach to trans issues and its artificial vision of Mexico.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pale
Adjective
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Notably, a very faded painting of the crucifixion scene with Jesus on the cross was also uncovered, the image of his crown of thorns sticking out from an orange and yellow backdrop.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2025
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Gap High-Rise Wide-Leg Jeans These wide-leg jeans are designed in a light blue wash with whiskered and faded details, and flared, bell-like hems.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
People.com,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Similarly, it was called the white plague or white death – due to anemia from the disease, with people appearing pallid or chalky – leading to near-certain death.—
Karen Dobos,
The Conversation,
6 Mar. 2025
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The Russian invasion of Ukraine won Vladimir Putin a certain admiration in countries of the global South, as well as among MAGA Americans, while Joe Biden’s appeals to democratic values seemed pallid and hypocritical.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Maddox does not make vague threats toward people who run afoul of him.—
Hannah Giorgis,
The Atlantic,
4 Apr. 2025
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The administration has been more vague, however, on programs such as classes that teach Black history.—
Lexi Lonas Cochran,
The Hill,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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After what feels like years of obsessing over eyebrow trends (skinny, perfectly bushy, bleached) to treatments like lamination and microblading, learning to love the unruly swirls that appear in our brows just feels right.—
Dulce Moncada,
Glamour,
7 Apr. 2025
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Anarchic social orders erect no monuments, and leave no ruins to be bleached over the centuries in the desert sand.—
Nikil Saval,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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While most of the snow is expected to be light, heavy snow will set in across northern New England states in the afternoon, with Maine expected to see between 4 and 8 inches.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2025
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The front area of the building will hold office space with a shop area in back for light maintenance on equipment.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Fore one, telescopes have difficulty distinguishing the faint light from a planet from the much brighter light emitted by its host star.—
Victoria Corless,
Space.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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Deeper within the planet, though, the surface might be emanating a faint red, due to incandescence resulting from being baked by its star.—
Shi En Kim,
Smithsonian Magazine,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Third to Journalism in the recent San Felipe Stakes — the race that more or less made Journalism a candidate Derby horse and that saw Rodriguez fade to show — Rodriguez currently clings to step No. 30 on the Derby points ladder, with 21-plus points.—
Guy Martin,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
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The Federal Railway Safety Act But Cassity and other union leaders remain concerned that little requires railroads like Norfolk Southern to maintain these protocols once the headlines of East Palestine fade away.—
Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, the kitchen includes heated floors, electric blinds and access to the terrace through a folding glass wall.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
2 Apr. 2025
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As their souls deteriorate so do the walls and floors of the restaurant.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pale. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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