as in blotch
a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part a tie having eyespots of blue on a light gray background

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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 eyespot The great argus is an at-risk species with an elaborate pattern of eyespots on its tail feathers, according to Thai National Parks. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 14 May 2025 Peacock butterflies are distinguished by a series of striking eyespots on their wings, which serve to threaten or confuse potential predators. Michael Franco, New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2024 But why did some lineages evolve shell eyes rather than eyespots? Quanta Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 First, red eyespots appear; then the amorphous bodies coalesce and darken into their ferocious adult forms. Nala Rogers, Popular Mechanics, 9 Aug. 2023 Their long hindwing tails and eyespots combine to give them a look resembling an elephant’s face. Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 18 July 2023 First, Rowland and her co-author trained chicks to attack a mealworm hidden behind a paper printout of two eyespots at the end of a runway. Maddie Bender, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2023 The 30-centimeter-long adult grows out of a larva that is little more than a sesame seed–size blob with an eyespot at one end and a band of cilia around its body. Byelizabeth Pennisi, science.org, 17 Jan. 2023 The eyespot is studded with light-sensitive proteins called channelrhodopsins. Marc Zimmer, The Conversation, 5 Aug. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eyespot
Noun
  • Some leaf-mining insects make distinct patterns, like squiggles or serpentine shapes, while others make irregular blotches, like this species.
    Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 8 May 2025
  • Black panthers, as they are colloquially named, are a color variation of a leopard with fully black fur or large blotches of black spots on a dark background color, according to Britannica.
    Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The post didn’t mention Megan, but given Lanez’s conviction in the 2020 shooting case of the Houston rapper, netizens immediately began connecting dots.
    Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 22 May 2025
  • Michaela immediately connects the dots from her creeping assistant to Ethan’s nearby house and is disappointed and infuriated.
    Caroline Framke, Vulture, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • The whole process is more NASA than NASCAR in that there’s not a speck of grease or oil on the bright, white vinyl flooring and everybody’s hands are clean.
    Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2025
  • Or a percentage of a fraction of a risk — better lock him up, than risk a speck of backlash.
    David Katz, IndieWire, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • There's a fascinating set of new patches Chinese officials released for a series of launches with top-secret satellites over the last two months, Ars reports.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 23 May 2025
  • This signals the end of a seriously rough patch for KTM, which was on the brink of collapse for a while.
    Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • Each shot is a singular moment in time, and plates are sometimes imbued with not just the emotional weight of the image but also flecks of dust kicked up by passing dump trucks full of debris.
    Marah Eakin, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Then, a volunteer lit the pyre, and flecks of ashes swirled in the air.
    Sui-Lee Wee, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Eyespot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eyespot. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.

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