as in rhetorical
full of fine words and fancy expressions
an overwritten novel with far too many purple patches
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Recent Examples of purple
Several species are native to North America, flowering in vibrant red, purple, and pink hues.
—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
3 July 2026
About 11,000 light-years away from Earth, the supernova Cassiopeia A’s X-rays (seen above) are rendered in blue and purple, while infrared wavelengths are shown in red and white using data from JWST.
—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
2 July 2026
Balogun posted on his Instagram story Thursday, with multiple purple heart emojis in the text.
—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
2 July 2026
The new artwork completed the trip back to 2010, showing Swift in a purple Giambattista Valli Haute Couture dress and the curls associated with the original era.
—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for purple
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
3 July 2026
About 11,000 light-years away from Earth, the supernova Cassiopeia A’s X-rays (seen above) are rendered in blue and purple, while infrared wavelengths are shown in red and white using data from JWST.
—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
2 July 2026
Balogun posted on his Instagram story Thursday, with multiple purple heart emojis in the text.
—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
2 July 2026
The new artwork completed the trip back to 2010, showing Swift in a purple Giambattista Valli Haute Couture dress and the curls associated with the original era.
—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for purple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purple
Adjective
-
But Trump so far, it’s mostly been rhetorical.
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Beginning in her early teens, Joyce loved watching Kirk’s debates on Instagram, seeing in them not carefully honed rhetorical tactics but authentic civility.
Adjective
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The ornate dress hit just above the ankle, revealing a pair of metallic gold pumps with a lustrous finish.
-
Opened in 1901, the ornate behemoth in Center City, built in the style of the Second Empire, remains a showstopper today.
Cite this Entry
“Purple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purple. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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