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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to bleach
to make white or whiter by removing color
the sun eventually paled my bright blue shirt
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in paling
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pale
Stephen King, The Atlantic, 15 May 2026
In Louisiana, those numbers pale in comparison to what the state is offering to just one company, Meta, to build the Hyperion, a mammoth $10 billion data center currently under construction in Richland Parish, La.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 14 May 2026
ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
Being the offense’s engine is a completely different (and more challenging) assignment than being an off-ball threat, and while Knueppel might already be the best off-ball player in the league, the value of that role still pales behind that of a big, ballhandling wing.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Big Think, 4 May 2026
The government's behavior yesterday was entirely beyond the pale.
—Adrian Florido, NPR, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pale
Adjective
Colin turned to me, his face as pale as Dinah’s.
—Stephen King, The Atlantic, 15 May 2026
In Louisiana, those numbers pale in comparison to what the state is offering to just one company, Meta, to build the Hyperion, a mammoth $10 billion data center currently under construction in Richland Parish, La.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 14 May 2026
Verb
While the prevalence of carfentanil still pales in comparison to fentanyl, experts are nevertheless alarmed by the increase of a substance researched for years as a chemical weapon and deployed by Russian forces on Chechen separatists in 2002.
—ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
Being the offense’s engine is a completely different (and more challenging) assignment than being an off-ball threat, and while Knueppel might already be the best off-ball player in the league, the value of that role still pales behind that of a big, ballhandling wing.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Noun
The Republic turns a sickly pale.
—Big Think, 4 May 2026
The government's behavior yesterday was entirely beyond the pale.
—Adrian Florido, NPR, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pale
Adjective
-
Leaving the faded flowers on these plants will ensure seeds develop to nurture the next generation of blooms.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
12 May 2026
-
When deadheading, cut where the blossom's stem joins the rest of the plant—in other words, remove not only the faded flower, but the tiny stem attached to it as well.—
Samantha Johnson,
Martha Stewart,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
Opponents of the proposal want the county to consider different locations for the park site, arguing the project may harm a variety of native species to the area, including the western spadefoot toad and pallid bats.—
Hannah Elsmore,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 May 2026
-
While disrupting the business of an American multinational company may seem a pallid response to the destruction of an Iranian primary school where more than a hundred children were killed, such asymmetric attacks in the physical and digital realms have been a feature of this conflict.—
Sue Halpern,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Two Chinese defense companies have issued vague statements that together point to a possible new long-distance shooting record, although neither has provided technical specifications or independently verifiable data.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
16 May 2026
-
Teenagers often respond better to concrete information than vague warnings.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
But beyond these gardens the terrain is dry, trees thin; green after summer rains, but parched and bleached for most of the year.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
-
Scented and bleached toilet paper can have irritating chemicals, while wiping the wrong way can increase your risk of infection.—
Pamela Assid Woughter,
Verywell Health,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
September 23 – October 22 A deeper feeling could interrupt your attempt to keep things light.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 May 2026
-
What could have easily made for an overwrought and even tragic read, however, is presented with a surprisingly light touch.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Auroras are surprisingly faint to the naked eye at first, especially during weaker geomagnetic storms, so dark skies make a huge difference.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
-
That can sound damning with faint praise, with his lack of wins, but people actually mean it.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
In terms of where to beach, wide stretches of sand in Beach Haven remain some of the Jersey Shore’s most desirable, drawing surfers at sunrise, families hauling coolers and striped umbrellas by midday, and sunset walkers lingering until the sky fades pink over the dunes.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 May 2026
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Inside, customers collect passport stamps, browse racks of worn leather and faded denim and line up for limited-edition tote bags tied to the second annual Vintage Store Day.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Earlier this year, the line was mostly green, meaning that a steel wall would traverse much of Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
Riley was also robbed of extra bases in the second inning on a leaping catch at the wall by center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pale. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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