as in pale
lacking intensity of color
a pastel blue to go with the pale pink walls
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in watercolor
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pastel
Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 23 Jan. 2026
The reversible set includes a duvet cover and matching shams, available in multiple sizes and a range of soft pastel hues.
—Jacquelyn McGilvray, PEOPLE, 22 Jan. 2026
Eric Barton, Sun Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2026
Pick a shade with less of the pastel Ely mentioned, instead opting for one that is deeper in tone and/or has a touch more warmth.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pastel
Adjective
Zimmermann’s maxi dress definitely looks the part, complete with a pastel palette and ruffled tiers of silk-blend crêpe de chine.
—Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 23 Jan. 2026
The reversible set includes a duvet cover and matching shams, available in multiple sizes and a range of soft pastel hues.
—Jacquelyn McGilvray, PEOPLE, 22 Jan. 2026
Noun
Sunrise yoga There’s a moment, right before the sun lifts, when the sky fills with strips of pastel, a warm-up.
—Eric Barton, Sun Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2026
Pick a shade with less of the pastel Ely mentioned, instead opting for one that is deeper in tone and/or has a touch more warmth.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pastel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pastel
Adjective
-
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs and 3/4 cup sugar on high until pale and thick, about 4 minutes.—
Martha Stewart,
Martha Stewart,
1 Feb. 2026
-
For a minimal design, paint all of your nails a pale pink and add a tiny pink glitter heart to the base of one nail.—
Kara Jillian Brown,
InStyle,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The kids spent their days on the slopes, in watercolor or leather-making classes, horseback riding, feeding cattle on the farm, or in the game room.—
Ronny Maye,
Essence,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reported receiving several high-value gifts, including a $3,700 bronze statue from his Indian counterpart, binoculars worth $2,950 from his Qatari counterpart and a $1,300 watercolor painting from the prime minister of Iraq.—
MATTHEW LEE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, her glam was soft and even-toned, bolstered only by a sharp baby wing of black liner, highlight on her nose and a faded taupe hue on her lips.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Each of the 22 pages, about the size of those in a typical hardcover book, is inscribed on both sides with easily visible black and faded-brown words written by the monks.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
When are the Hoosier Lottery drawings held?—
Chris Sims,
IndyStar,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The Florida Lottery site states game add-ons include Double Play for $1, a bonus drawing where players could win up to $250,000 using the same numbers (Double Play drawings are held immediately after Florida Lotto drawings).—
Jennifer Sangalang,
Florida Times-Union,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The only other blemish was a lighter operating margin, resulting in a miss on operating income.—
,
CNBC,
5 Feb. 2026
-
This protection doesn’t cover everything, however; lighter species of gases — including water vapor — are constantly stripped away by the solar wind, and seen in Venus’s magnetotail.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Made with gouache and pencil on paper, the work depicts a guitar and several everyday objects, including a bottle and a folded sheet of paper, arranged on a table in soft brown and gray tones.—
Dragana Jovanovic,
ABC News,
18 Oct. 2025
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With an airbrush borrowed from his job at an ad agency, Man Ray would blast droplets of gouache onto board or heavy paper and use stencils to organize the spray.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The decision to paint with tempera, the same medium used to create those Arabic maps, proved fortuitous.—
Zoe Si,
New Yorker,
19 Dec. 2025
-
Paints and Brushes You can regularly find acrylic or tempera paint in a variety of colors.—
Kathy Barnes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The fitting rooms spotlight works by distinguished American artists, including an acrylic on linen canvas by Wyatt Kahn as well as an abstract, textured painting by Robert Greene.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
30 Jan. 2026
-
In his pre-trial ruling last July, the judge said such questions were irrelevant to ex-security guard Emani Ellis’ claims that Cardi had scratched her cheek with an acrylic fingernail during an altercation outside a Beverly Hills doctor’s office in 2018.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pastel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pastel. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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