mottle 1 of 2

noun

ˈmä-tᵊl How to pronounce mottle (audio)
Definition of mottlenext
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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mottle

2 of 2

verb

as in to sprinkle
to mark with small spots especially unevenly old papers that were mottled by mold

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of 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
Its flowers are huge and orange, marked or mottled with maroon splotches. — Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026 The foliage is typically mottled with silvery or light green variegation. — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for mottle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mottle
  1. blotch
  2. sprinkle
  3. fleck
  4. dot
  5. patch
  6. stain
  7. speck
  8. pepper
Noun
  • Juveniles can be distinguished by their dark facial bands and gray or tan body patterned with black or brown blotches.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Crews are also using steam to remove blotches of chewing gum, which have turned black over time.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of blotch
Verb
  • Thoughtful furnishings and decor (including a wall of decorative plates) are sprinkled throughout.
    — Angela Tafoya, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Senate In the Senate, 35 of the upper chamber’s 100 seats are on the ballot for six-year terms, including 13 Democratic and 22 Republican seats sprinkled across the political landscape.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of sprinkle
Noun
  • In addition, since all this debris is moving at orbital velocity, a fleck of paint traveling in the opposite direction to an operational satellite can hit it at a speed in excess of Mach 47.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2026
  • As few as 10 cells, hidden in an infinitesimal fleck of feces, can contaminate raw milk and trigger a fatal infection.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of fleck
Verb
  • The tiny flowers, dotted with crystals, are set against a pink mesh lace backdrop decorated with more crystal details.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The new hotel shows off works from creatives from the Scuola Romana and the Scuola di Piazza del Popolo 20th-century art movements alongside more modern pieces dotted throughout the property.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of dot
Noun
  • Google said its cybersecurity unit Wiz used AI models to help find and investigate the vulnerabilities, while its Gemini AI contributed to efforts to assess the flaws, test potential attacks and verify security patches.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Each is as tall as the Statue of Liberty, scattered across a patch of desert roughly the size of Chicago.
    — Sara Herschander, Vox, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of patch
Verb
  • The armpits of the Quran shirt are stained with centuries-old sweat.
    — Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • In 2005, a vote-buying scheme known as Mensalão led to the conviction of senior PT figures and stained the party’s image.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of stain
Noun
  • Chips could be destroyed by even a speck of dust, so factories became impregnable clean rooms, their workers clad in bunny suits.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The source was generally in good condition, but mold spots and dense clusters of small white specks required careful treatment.
    — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of speck
Verb
  • For at least a month, the president has been peppering both executive actions and promises of cash payouts into his midterm campaign schedule and social media posts.
    — Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The Glee reboot should pepper the series with some fun cameos from beloved characters, many of whom got cast in the later shakier seasons, as well as some of the most fun guest stars.
    — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of pepper

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mottle
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Cite this Entry

“Mottle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mottle. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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