Bronzing bracken and mottled bramble gleamed in the light of the sinking sun.
Source: tatoeba (6606587)
Mottled
/ˈmɑt əld/
Synonyms for "mottled" (79 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (16)
Strong matches (24)
Adjective(2 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Verb(3 words)
Related words (39)
Adjective(14 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: dappled, agate, agouti, appaloosa, blotch.
- Sentence evidence is available for mottled, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, moby, 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 "mottled".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "mottled"
Keep "mottled" 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 "mottled" 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 "mottled", 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 "mottled" 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
6 entriesMore specific
8 entriesCollocations
9 entriesmottled appearancemottled camouflagemottled enamelmottled patternmottled skinmottled stonemottled surfacemottled wingsmottling effect
Inflections
4 entriesDerivations
3 entriessimilar
1 entriesSample sentences
6 total sentences available.
Our wagonette had topped a rise and in front of us rose the huge expanse of the moor, mottled with gnarled and craggy cairns and tors. A cold wind swept down from it and set us shivering.
Source: tatoeba (6606606)
I looked round, with a chill of fear in my heart, at the huge swelling plain, mottled with the green patches of rushes. Nothing stirred over the vast expanse save a pair of ravens, which croaked loudly from a tor behind us.
Source: tatoeba (6608602)
Giles Headley the younger was a fine tall youth, but clumsy and untrained in the use of his limbs, and he rode a large, powerful brown horse, which brooked no companionship, lashing out with its shaggy hoofs at any of its kind that approached it, more especially at poor, plump, mottled Poppet.
Source: tatoeba (11676172)
Showing 4 of 6 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "mottled"?
Closest matches include dappled, agate, agouti, appaloosa, blotch.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "mottled"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.