1
as in faded
lacking intensity of color
we chose a very pale pink for the walls of the room
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pallid
lacking a healthy skin color
after a week with the flu, she was deathly pale and noticeably thinner
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3
as in vague
not seen or understood clearly
a pale outline off in the distance proved to be someone out for a walk
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as in to bleach
to make white or whiter by removing color
the sun eventually paled my bright blue shirt
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as in paling
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pale
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2025
To see the sun so diminished, so pale and sickly in the midwinter sky, was unnerving.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2025
Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2025
The snowfall in your driveway Monday pales in comparison with the blizzards of Baltimore’s recent past.
—Mike Klingaman, Baltimore Sun, 6 Jan. 2025
Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2024
The proportion in most contemporary dictatorships (for which there are data) pales in comparison.
—Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 6 Feb. 2020
See all Example Sentences for pale 
Adjective
Amid that schedule, coach Erik Spoelstra said ahead of Saturday night’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center that concerns about his team’s preparations pale in comparison to the fires that have burned communities to the ground and displaced tens of thousands.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2025
To see the sun so diminished, so pale and sickly in the midwinter sky, was unnerving.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2025
Verb
On the other, his statistical production still paled in comparison to that of the NFL’s top quarterbacks, and a big payday would limit the Giants’ ability to bolster the roster elsewhere.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2025
The snowfall in your driveway Monday pales in comparison with the blizzards of Baltimore’s recent past.
—Mike Klingaman, Baltimore Sun, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
Their Sky Kraken, a hazy pale on the lighter side, is a good place to start.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2024
The proportion in most contemporary dictatorships (for which there are data) pales in comparison.
—Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 6 Feb. 2020
See all Example Sentences for pale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pale
Adjective
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The image that really got me on social media this week was a faded photo of a man and woman, standing on what looks like the front steps of their home.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
16 Jan. 2025
-
The Bureau told the story of a spy adrift, working in the shadow of a faded empire.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Folk-rock and psychedelia would make Peter, Paul and Mary sound pallid and precious, although nostalgia sustained them through a later reunion career.—
Jon Pareles,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2025
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The company, which relies heavily on sales in mainland China where Arc’teryx and Salomon are especially popular, suffered from fears of weak consumer demand given the pallid state of the Chinese economy.—
Brendan Coffey,
Sportico.com,
24 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Kelley Black has emphatically denied the charges cited in the school board’s 10-page report, calling them vague, false and misleading and suggesting that politics is playing a role in the board’s action.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Jan. 2025
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The designation is so broad and vague that ranches in Texas or farms in California could be swept up by the penalties if their employees send remittances to family members in Mexico who are involved in organized crime.—
Maria Abi-Habib,
New York Times,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
As the land is entirely indoors its scenery can be much more elaborate than in outdoor theme parks as there is no danger of it being damaged by the wind or bleached by the sun.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
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The ingredients of a Group 4 meal tend to be created when foods are refined, bleached, hydrogenated, fractionated, or extruded—in other words, when whole foods are broken into components or otherwise chemically modified.—
Dhruv Khullar,
The New Yorker,
6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The rain is forecast to be widespread but is expected to be light enough to avoid major flooding.—
Daniel Amarante,
ABC News,
26 Jan. 2025
-
Alba’s creations are cut from plush materials such as corduroy and flannel, featuring natural shoulders and only the lightest of canvasing in the chest, which results in a less-formal look.—
Aleks Cvetkovic,
Robb Report,
26 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Imagine walking more than 60 miles through a deadly jungle, your children by your side, clinging to the faint hope of safety and a better future.—
Chris Shue,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Jan. 2025
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Some voiced faint hope that President-elect Donald Trump would support their cause; others accused China’s Communist Party of infiltrating South Korea’s news media.—
Max Kim,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Sunlight had begun to fade, casting a shadow on the space.—
Colleen Shalby,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Jan. 2025
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Saturn, nearby, will become visible to the naked eye as dusk fades to darkness and remain observable for around three-and-a-half hours past sunset, at which point the pair will sink below the horizon and out of view.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The trail takes hikers through the canyon with smooth marble walls.—
Helena Wegner,
Sacramento Bee,
20 Jan. 2025
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The declaration empowers federal agencies to redirect funds and resources to bolster border security, including resuming the construction of a border wall, deploying additional military personnel, and reinstating strict immigration policies from his previous administration.—
Newsweek,
Newsweek,
20 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Pale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pale. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
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