pale
6 synonyms and 0 antonyms for pale, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Light in colour, or lacking the usual colour, especially in the face.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use pale
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old French pale, from Latin pallidus ("pale, pallid"). The noun sense meaning "boundary" comes from a separate root, Latin palus ("stake"), referring to a fence of stakes marking a territory's limits — the origin of the phrase "beyond the pale."
Full origin of pale →Frequently asked questions
What does “pale” mean?
The word “pale” means light in colour, or lacking the usual colour, especially in the face. In plain terms, light-coloured, especially a face that has lost colour, or (as a verb) to lose colour or seem lesser by comparison.
How do you pronounce “pale”?
“Pale” is pronounced payl (/peɪl/ in IPA).
How do you use “pale” in a sentence?
Here is “pale” used in a sentence: “She looked pale after the long flight.”
What part of speech is “pale”?
Depending on how it is used, “pale” can be an adjective, a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “pale” come from?
The word “pale” comes from Latin.
Is “pale” a common word?
“Pale” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “pale” have?
“Pale” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: light in colour, or lacking the usual colour, especially in the face.
What is the difference between pale and pallid?
Both describe a lack of colour, especially in the face, but pale is the neutral, everyday word, while pallid is more formal or literary and usually implies an unhealthy or lifeless look. A person can be naturally pale, whereas pallid almost always suggests illness, exhaustion, or weakness.
What is the difference between pale and pail?
Pale and pail sound identical but are unrelated. Pale means light in colour or lacking colour, and as a verb, to lose colour or to seem less impressive by comparison; a pail is a bucket. If you are describing colour or a shocked face, the spelling you want is pale.