They're a motley crew.
Source: tatoeba (1518482)
Motley
/ˈmɒtli/
Synonyms for "motley" (320 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (64)
Noun(3 words)
amalgamatedambiguousambivalentamphibiousassortedassortmentat oddsat varianceballet skirtbandbarbespanglebespecklebespotbicolorbicoloredbladderblendedblotchbuffo
Show 39 more words
buffoonbuskincalicocap and bellscapriciouschangeablechangingcheckcheckerchoppychromaticcloudedclowncoldcolluviescolorfulcolorificcoloringcolorycolumbinecombinedcomedycomplexcompositecompoundcompoundedconfusedconglomeratecontrarycontrastedcontrastingcoolcostumecoxcombcrazydaedaldappledappleddeparting
Strong matches (96)
deviatingdeviativedeviatorydichromaticdifferentdifferentiateddifferingdisaccordantdisagreeingdiscolordiscordantdiscrepantdiscretediscriminateddisguisedisjoineddisorderlydisparatedissimilardissonant
Show 66 more words
distinctdistinguisheddivaricatedivergentdivergingdiversdivers-coloreddiversediversifieddiversiformdoteclecticequivocaleroseerraticfifty-fiftyflakefleckfoolfrecklegallimaufrygetupglowinghalf-and-halfhanswurstharlequinharmoniousheterogeneoushodgepodgeidiotimpulsivein disagreementinaccordantincompatibleincongruousinconsistentinconsonantinconstantindiscriminateinharmoniousintricateirisironicirreconcilableirregularjack-puddingjaggedjerkyjesterjumblejumbledkaleidoscopicmaculatemanymany sidedmany-coloredmany-sidedmarblemarbledmarbleizemasqueradematchingmedleymercurialmerry-andrewmingled
Noun(10 words)
discordantdisparatediverseeclecticharlequin costumeheterogeneousincongruousjester outfitmedleymiscellanea
Related words (160)
miscellaneousmixedmonochromaticmonochromemonochromicmotley foolmottlemottledmulticolormulticoloredmulticolorousmultifacetedmultifariousmultihuedmultinationalmultiracialmutablenonconformistnonstandardnonuniform
Show 106 more words
odds and endsomnium-gatherumoutfitpantalonepantaloonparti colorparti-colorparti-coloredpastichepatchypepperpepper-and-saltpickle-herringpiebaldpiedpigmentarypintopluralisticpoles apartpoles asunderpolichinellepolychromaticpolychromepolychromicpolychromizeprismalprismaticpromiscuouspulcinellapunchpunchinelloraggedrainbowrigroughsaladscaramouchscrambledseparateseparatedseveralshotshot throughskewbaldslapsticksockspanglespasmodicspeckspecklespectralsplotchsporadicspotspottysprinklestigmatizestipplestreakstriatestripestudsyncretictattootessellatethrown togetherthunder and lightningtightstinctorialtingenttoningtrichromatictrichromictricolortricoloredtututwo-toneunconformableuncongenialunequableunequalunevenunlikeunorthodoxunsortedunstableunsteadyunsystematicununiformvariablevariantvaricoloredvariedvariegatevariegatedvariformvariousvaryingveinversicolorversicoloredwarmwaveringwidely apartworlds apartzany
Adjective(19 words)
Noun(12 words)
mishmashmixed bagmottledmulticoloredpatchworkpatchwork costumepotpourrisalmagundismorgasbordvariedvariegatedvariety
Verb(3 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: assortment, miscellany, mixture, amalgamated, ambiguous.
- Sentence evidence is available for motley, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "motley".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "motley"
Keep "motley" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "motley" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "motley", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "motley" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
25 entriesShowing 16 of 25 words.
More specific
12 entriescalicodiscordant ensembleeclectic mixharlequin costumehodgepodgeincongruous blendjester outfitmedleymixed bagpatchworkpatchwork garmentragbag
Collocations
9 entriesmotley arraymotley assortmentmotley attiremotley collectionmotley colorsmotley crewmotley datamotley garmentmotley pattern
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
1 entriessimilar
6 entriesSample sentences
9 total sentences available.
The park is home to a motley group of amphibians, a raft of different tree species, a dozen beehives and—grazing placidly in the distance—a flock of Brittany sheep, practicing ‘ecological management.’
Source: tatoeba (8705930)
A motley crew of educators and students gathered at the seminar.
Source: tatoeba (8926385)
At the centre of the council estate was a green surrounded by a motley collection of small, tired and tatty-looking shops, half of which were empty, their windows boarded up.
Source: tatoeba (12463638)
Showing 4 of 9 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "motley"?
Closest matches include assortment, miscellany, mixture, amalgamated, ambiguous.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "motley"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.