Pale — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb noun /ˈpāl/

Meaning & Definition of Pale

Pale (adjective)

  1. deficient in color or intensity of color, pallid
  2. having color of reduced saturation
  3. light in color especially relative to others of its kind

Pale (verb)

  1. to become pale
  2. to make pale
  3. to enclose with pales, fence

Pale (noun)

  1. an area or the limits within which one is privileged or protected (as from censure)
  2. a space or field having bounds, enclosure
  3. a territory or district within certain bounds or under a particular jurisdiction

Pale (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. lacking intensity of color

    "we chose a very pale pink for the walls of the room"

    similar: dull, dulled, faded, light, pastel, washed-out, washy
    related: flat, lackluster, lusterless, matte, dim, faint, dirty, muddy, achromatic, colorless, uncolored, undyed, unpainted, unstained, blanched, bleached, washed, white, whitened, gray, indistinct, neutral
    opposite: dark, deep, gay, rich
    near: bright, brilliant, vibrant, vivid, chromatic, colored, dyed, painted, stained, tinged, tinted, colorful, motley, multicolored, polychromatic, polychrome, prismatic, rainbow, varicolored, variegated, flashy, garish, gaudy, loud, showy, splashy

  2. lacking a healthy skin color

    "after a week with the flu, she was deathly pale and noticeably thinner"

    similar: ashen, ashy, blanched, cadaverous, doughy, livid, lurid, mealy, paled, pallid, pasty, peaked, wan
    related: sallow, sallowish, sick, sickly, waxen, waxy, white, whitened, anemic, bloodless, untanned, whey-faced, white-faced
    opposite: blooming, florid, flush, full-blooded, glowing, red, rosy, rubicund, ruddy, sanguine
    near: blushing, flushed, pink

  3. not seen or understood clearly

    "a pale outline off in the distance proved to be someone out for a walk"

    similar: blear, bleary, blurry, dim, faint, foggy, fuzzy, gauzy, hazy, indefinite, indistinct, indistinguishable, misty, murky, nebulous, obscure, opaque, shadowy, unclear, undefined, undetermined, vague
    related: dark, dusky, gloomy, impalpable, inappreciable, intangible, invisible, hieroglyphic, incomprehensible, indecipherable, indiscernible, inexplicable, mysterious, obfuscatory, puzzling
    opposite: clear, definite, pellucid
    near: bright, distinct, evident, obvious, plain, certain, firm, strong, sure

Pale (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make white or whiter by removing color

    "the sun eventually paled my bright blue shirt"

    similar: blanch, bleach, blench, decolorize, dull, fade, snow, wash out, whiten
    related: brighten, lighten, dim, mat, etiolate, whitewash, frost, silver
    opposite: darken, deepen, embrown
    near: blacken, blotch, checker, dapple, daub, discolor, fleck, marble, mottle, pattern, polychrome, shade, speck, speckle, splotch, spot, streak, striate, stripe, tarnish, variegate, color, dye, paint, pigment, stain, tincture, tinge, tint, burnish, polish, shine

Pale (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in bar, paling

    similar: bar, paling, barricade, barrier, fence, hedge, wall, block, chain, clog, crimp, deterrent, drag, embarrassment, encumbrance, handicap, hindrance, hurdle, impediment, inhibition, interference, let, obstacle, obstruction, roadblock, stop, stumbling block, trammel, fetter, hobble, manacle, shackle(s), constraint, curb, restraint, snag, buffer, bulwark, bumper, cushion, dam, fender, pad, rampart
    opposite: door, doorway, entrance, entranceway, entry, entryway, gate, portal, break, gap, pass

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Pale

The most common words with a similar meaning to Pale:

dull, dulled, faded, light, pastel, washed-out, washy, ashen, ashy, blanched, cadaverous, doughy, livid, lurid, mealy, paled, pallid, pasty, peaked, wan, blear, bleary, blurry, dim, faint, foggy, fuzzy, gauzy, hazy, indefinite, indistinct, indistinguishable, misty, murky, nebulous, obscure, opaque, shadowy, unclear, undefined

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Pale

Words with the opposite meaning of Pale:

dark, deep, gay, rich, blooming, florid, flush, full-blooded, glowing, red, rosy, rubicund, ruddy, sanguine, clear, definite, pellucid, darken, deepen, embrown, door, doorway, entrance, entranceway, entry, entryway, gate, portal, break, gap

Related Words for Pale

flat, lackluster, lusterless, matte, dirty, muddy, achromatic, colorless, uncolored, undyed, unpainted, unstained, bleached, washed, white, whitened, gray, neutral, sallow, sallowish, sick, sickly, waxen, waxy, anemic, bloodless, untanned, whey-faced, white-faced, dark

Near Antonyms of Pale

bright, brilliant, vibrant, vivid, chromatic, colored, dyed, painted, stained, tinged, tinted, colorful, motley, multicolored, polychromatic, polychrome, prismatic, rainbow, varicolored, variegated, flashy, garish, gaudy, loud, showy, splashy, blushing, flushed, pink, distinct

Word Forms of Pale

Inflections: paler, palest, paled, paling

Derived words: palely (adverb), paleness (noun), palish (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Pale

Middle English pale, paal, palle, borrowed from Anglo-French pale, palle, paille (also continental Old French), borrowed (with loss of unstressed -id-) from Latin pallidus "pale, colorless," formed with the adjective suffix -idus from the same base as pallēre "to be pale or bloodless, have a pale color," pallor "paleness of complexion, loss of color" fallow:1

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Pale

Words & Phrases Containing Pale

pale-, paleo-, pale ale, pale by comparison, pale imitation, pale in/by comparison to/with

Frequently Asked Questions about Pale

What does "Pale" mean?

"Pale" means deficient in color or intensity of color, pallid. As an an adjective, a verb and a noun, it is defined as: deficient in color or intensity of color, pallid. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Pale"?

Other words for "Pale" include dull, dulled, faded, light, pastel, washed-out, washy and ashen. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Pale" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Pale"?

There are 145 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Pale". Common alternatives include dull, dulled, faded, light, pastel, washed-out, washy, ashen, ashy and blanched.

What is the opposite of "Pale"?

Antonyms of "Pale" include dark, deep, gay, rich, blooming, florid, flush and full-blooded. Near antonyms include bright, brilliant, vibrant and vivid.

How do you use "Pale" in a sentence?

Examples of "Pale" in a sentence: "we chose a very pale pink for the walls of the room"; "after a week with the flu, she was deathly pale and noticeably thinner"; "a pale outline off in the distance proved to be someone out for a walk".

Is "Pale" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Pale" can be used as an adjective, a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Pale" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Pale" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Pale"?

"Pale" is pronounced /ˈpāl/.