pale 1 of 3

adjective

ˈpāl How to pronounce pale (audio)
Definition of palenext
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pale

2 of 3

verb

as in to bleach
to make white or whiter by removing color the sun eventually paled my bright blue shirt

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pale

3 of 3

noun

as in paling

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Dissimilar 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 pale
Adjective
The aesthetic borrows from grunge and indie sleaze, blending undone eyeliner with pale, textured skin. — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026 Signs of heat exhaustion that parents should look for include heavy sweating, weakness or fainting, cold or pale skin and muscle cramps. — Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
Obviously, paled in comparison to some of the other people singing that night. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 21 July 2026 And while Shakira drew big cheers, as did the appearance of Bieber, these paled in comparison to the cheers and oh’s and ah’s in the crowd throughout the gripping final. — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 19 July 2026
Noun
Some things do seem beyond the pale to this group. — Justin Worland, Time, 28 May 2026 Thus, anger management classes and guidebooks have risen to this challenge and seek to aid people in managing anger that is beyond the pale. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for pale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pale
  1. faded
  2. pallid
  3. vague
  4. bleach
  5. wall
  6. light
  7. faint
  8. fade
Adjective
  • The team behind this research studied 14 candidates for faded or remnant radio galaxies found in a region of the sky over Earth, studied intensely by the XMM-Newton X-ray spacecraft, called the XMM–Newton Large-Scale Structure (XMM–LSS) field.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • How to Deadhead Coneflowers Deadheading coneflowers is as simple as removing the faded flower heads.
    — The Spruce, The Spruce, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of faded
Adjective
  • Young people in particular have soured on the technology over the last year, a development that may at least partially be explained by a pallid entry-level job market.
    — T.M. Brown, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • This mordant melange takes off from the opening sequence, when Niaz finds himself at a casting call for an indie directed by Aza (Elene Mausuradze), an androgynous female director with the pallid look of a Tim Burton extra.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of pallid
Adjective
  • The Fed chairman, who took charge of the central bank in May, is deliberately vague, saying investors and businesses should watch what's happening in the economy, not in the policymaking corridors of Washington.
    — Scott Horsley, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The Senate proposal also includes measures to try and lighten the loads on Californians’ utility bills, though again, details remain vague.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of vague
Verb
  • There have also been concerns over toilet paper that is bleached, as bleaching can create dioxins, and concerns over toilet paper that includes formaldehyde, a carcinogen.
    — Jillian Pretzel, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The researchers first treated the cotton with sodium dithionite, a reducing agent, before bleaching it with hydrogen peroxide under alkaline conditions.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of bleach
Noun
  • At Sharma-Crawford’s office, his assistant posted three separate calendars to the office wall.
    — Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Security cameras on the Chinese side of the border captured people running from a wall of debris as floodwaters rushed through a border crossing, sweeping away vehicles and buildings.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of wall
Adjective
  • Thickness, though, is not always an option—optical films have to stay clear, protective layers on aircraft have to stay light and flexible, and the barriers on outdoor electronics are thin by design.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026
  • With a light, silky texture, the brand’s body balm combines the hydrating properties of a body lotion with the anti-aging effects of a potent serum.
    — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of light
Adjective
  • This stage begins when the moon enters the faint edges of Earth's shadow, called the penumbra.
    — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • That year, the Perseids will peak in the glare of a waxing moon just four days from turning full, and the moonlight will hide many of the shower's fainter shooting stars.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of faint
Verb
  • Bitcoin has been in a prolonged slump since October, and BTIG noted that a similar surge in January 2023 initially faded before the cryptocurrency found support around its 200-day moving average.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The crimson hue that may have been visible at the height of the eclipse will gradually fade as the crescent of the lunar disk exposed to direct sunlight grows, and normality reasserts itself over the natural satellite.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of fade

Browse Nearby Words

palavers
pale
paled
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Cite this Entry

“Pale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pale. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pale

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pale

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