as in blotch
a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part
canvases covered with streaks and mottles
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mottle
New Atlas, 23 Jan. 2026
As branching coral look-alikes, the cuttlefish splayed out their arms and displayed dark mottles to blend in with staghorn coral.
—Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Mar. 2025
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 May 2026
The air rang with random alarms; the soft surfaces were mottled with mystery stains.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mottle
Noun
Turn the mottle of ideas in your head into coherent communicable paragraphs.
—New Atlas, 23 Jan. 2026
As branching coral look-alikes, the cuttlefish splayed out their arms and displayed dark mottles to blend in with staghorn coral.
—Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
The foliage is typically mottled with silvery or light green variegation.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 May 2026
The air rang with random alarms; the soft surfaces were mottled with mystery stains.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mottle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mottle
Noun
-
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
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Inadequate iron causes young leaves to appear yellow with green veins, while magnesium deficiency causes blotches or spots on older leaves.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Solo travelers were abundant, though most travelers were couples, with a few families sprinkled in too.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 June 2026
-
The event featured game-play and events sprinkled throughout the city and partnerships with the White Sox, the Field Museum and the Lincoln Park Zoo.—
Felicity Abbott,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
Noun
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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
-
There are also flecks of red embedded throughout the pattern.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Few sites, however, became such frequent battlegrounds as the parking lots of Home Depots, where day laborers congregate, or were hit as persistently and severely as the open air car washes that dot sunny Southern California.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
-
Lighthouses Ten lighthouses, some still in service (and one in ruins), dot the Apostle Islands.—
Robert Annis,
Midwest Living,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
That means no more security updates, patches, or tech support, so now’s definitely the time to finally upgrade.—
StackCommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
-
One of the smaller patches, but even a small patch in Crimson Desert does still add a good amount.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
No public executions stained the squares.—
Adam Kirsch,
The Atlantic,
15 June 2026
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In another video published by B’Tselem capturing the moments after the incident, Sam’s father can be seen standing by the car, cradling his baby, whose bright yellow clothing can be seen stained with blood.—
Sarah Dean,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
The machine-like efficiency is terrifying, right up until a single speck of dirt falls into the gears.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
-
This looks like tiny black or reddish-brown specks that resemble coffee grounds.—
Emily Hayes,
Martha Stewart,
9 June 2026
Verb
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In the days and weeks that followed, city and police officials continued to pepper the bureau about speeding up the approval process.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
-
The meeting went off the rails when Pelley, a 50-year veteran journalist, began peppering Bilton with questions and accused Weiss of destroying the show’s sterling reputation.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mottle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mottle. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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