as in blotch
a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part
a tie having eyespots of blue on a light gray background
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of eyespot
The great argus is an at-risk species with an elaborate pattern of eyespots on its tail feathers, according to Thai National Parks.
—
Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 14 May 2025
Peacock butterflies are distinguished by a series of striking eyespots on their wings, which serve to threaten or confuse potential predators.
—Michael Franco, New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2024
But why did some lineages evolve shell eyes rather than eyespots?
—Quanta Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024
First, red eyespots appear; then the amorphous bodies coalesce and darken into their ferocious adult forms.
—Nala Rogers, Popular Mechanics, 9 Aug. 2023
Their long hindwing tails and eyespots combine to give them a look resembling an elephant’s face.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 18 July 2023
First, Rowland and her co-author trained chicks to attack a mealworm hidden behind a paper printout of two eyespots at the end of a runway.
—Maddie Bender, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2023
The 30-centimeter-long adult grows out of a larva that is little more than a sesame seed–size blob with an eyespot at one end and a band of cilia around its body.
—Byelizabeth Pennisi, science.org, 17 Jan. 2023
The eyespot is studded with light-sensitive proteins called channelrhodopsins.
—Marc Zimmer, The Conversation, 5 Aug. 2021
Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 14 May 2025
Peacock butterflies are distinguished by a series of striking eyespots on their wings, which serve to threaten or confuse potential predators.
—Michael Franco, New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2024
But why did some lineages evolve shell eyes rather than eyespots?
—Quanta Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024
First, red eyespots appear; then the amorphous bodies coalesce and darken into their ferocious adult forms.
—Nala Rogers, Popular Mechanics, 9 Aug. 2023
Their long hindwing tails and eyespots combine to give them a look resembling an elephant’s face.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 18 July 2023
First, Rowland and her co-author trained chicks to attack a mealworm hidden behind a paper printout of two eyespots at the end of a runway.
—Maddie Bender, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2023
The 30-centimeter-long adult grows out of a larva that is little more than a sesame seed–size blob with an eyespot at one end and a band of cilia around its body.
—Byelizabeth Pennisi, science.org, 17 Jan. 2023
The eyespot is studded with light-sensitive proteins called channelrhodopsins.
—Marc Zimmer, The Conversation, 5 Aug. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eyespot
Noun
-
Their backs are a mixture of cream dots, orange-ish speckles and brown blotches.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
2 June 2025
-
These are more typically animals with stripes instead of blotches, missing patterns, and similar.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
People.com,
16 May 2025
Noun
-
The rubber dots and grips on the top and bottom of the stool provide extra stability, giving me peace of mind.—
Katrina Cossey,
Parents,
4 June 2025
-
Each dot on this map represents a city or reporting area that issues a forecast.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
Noun
-
Her path had been ambitiously charted to include a refuelling stop on Howland Island, a speck between Hawaii and Australia.—
Laurie Gwen Shapiro,
New Yorker,
2 June 2025
-
When dishes air-dry, especially in a dishwasher or on a drying rack, the water evaporates, and these minerals remain on the surface, forming those unsightly white or grayish specks.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 June 2025
Noun
-
Chase is the arena sponsor for the Golden State Warriors, while Rakuten has a patch on the team’s jersey.—
Lillian Rizzo,
CNBC,
5 June 2025
-
Some cancer patients with intractable pain use a fentanyl patch or fentanyl lozenge, for example.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
After drying, Messinger meticulously cleans the artifacts with delicate animal-hair brushes and painstakingly removes rust, fleck by fleck, with a dental pick.—
Tammy Ljungblad,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2025
-
The blue is speckled with some white flecks, which reminds me of blue enamelware pots and pans for a down-home aesthetic.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Eyespot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eyespot. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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