as in pale
lacking a healthy skin color
the shock of the news left him paled and shaking
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in faded
to make white or whiter by removing color
the sun eventually paled my bright blue shirt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of paled
Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Its economy and military paled in comparison with the United States’s industrial might, blue-water navy, and network of overseas bases.
—Caleb Pomeroy, Foreign Affairs, 24 Dec. 2025
The lack of public outcry paled in comparison to the outpouring of voices for and against hemp farming that county officials fielded earlier this year.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 17 Dec. 2025
The New York school principal had gotten every question right, but his buzzer game Monday paled in comparison to Whitaker's 36.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 24 Nov. 2025
Obviously, the cost to acquire Banks would have paled in comparison to the king's ransom Indianapolis paid for Gardner.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
But those agreements — usually to the tune of around $2-$3 billion in infrastructure and training investments — have paled in comparison to Microsoft’s commitment in the Emirates.
—Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2025
As my daughter’s face paled, and a man in a clown mask stalked the aisles, panic seized my limbs.
—Christa Carmen, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Attendance paled in comparison to the more than 3 million fans that have flocked to Petco Park in each of the last three years.
—Brittany Ghiroli, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
As the sick, wounded and displaced waited to cross in both directions, health officials said the small number allowed to exit so far paled beside Gaza’s tremendous needs.
—Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Its economy and military paled in comparison with the United States’s industrial might, blue-water navy, and network of overseas bases.
—Caleb Pomeroy, Foreign Affairs, 24 Dec. 2025
The lack of public outcry paled in comparison to the outpouring of voices for and against hemp farming that county officials fielded earlier this year.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 17 Dec. 2025
The New York school principal had gotten every question right, but his buzzer game Monday paled in comparison to Whitaker's 36.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 24 Nov. 2025
Obviously, the cost to acquire Banks would have paled in comparison to the king's ransom Indianapolis paid for Gardner.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
But those agreements — usually to the tune of around $2-$3 billion in infrastructure and training investments — have paled in comparison to Microsoft’s commitment in the Emirates.
—Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2025
As my daughter’s face paled, and a man in a clown mask stalked the aisles, panic seized my limbs.
—Christa Carmen, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Attendance paled in comparison to the more than 3 million fans that have flocked to Petco Park in each of the last three years.
—Brittany Ghiroli, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paled
Adjective
-
These pale pink nails are accented with jade motifs, bright red strokes, and plum blossoms to signal hope and renewal.—
Odeya Pinkus,
InStyle,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The striking look, from Erdem’s fall 2026 collection, centered on a pale pink gown with crystal embroidery and an explosive tulle skirt—replete with a matching pink tulle veil.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In San Juan and nearby communities, neighborhoods buzzed as the Super Bowl itself faded into the background and attention turned entirely to Bad Bunny’s 13 minutes on stage.—
Martin Silva Rey,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
-
When the Cougars were building their biggest lead, the boos for Wright had finally faded.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Out of the bloodstains shone a pair of bright blue eyes, and a heart was beating under the pallid skin that looked several sizes too big.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Three weeks after that hit that sent a crowd of 75,261 at Empower Field into a pallid silence, Bryant is ever the same.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
17 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Even better, Liu does it all while flaunting her signature bleached halo-dye hairstyle and smiley piercing.—
Jasmine Wynn,
Time,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The new ad from the appliance retailer peeks into an alternate reality in which Fieri never grew a goatee, never bleached his spikes, and wore drab button-ups and dress slacks.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Her ability to observe and relate her observations and insights with clarity brightened the pages of various publications over many years.—
Lisa Boone,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Despite Martin’s rough start in the job, the party’s spirits had brightened considerably after November 4, when Democrats scored double-digit wins in the Virginia and New Jersey governor’s races.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paled. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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