1
a
: of or relating to a pastel
b
: made with pastels
2
: pale and light in color
3
: lacking in body or vigor
Synonyms
Examples of pastel in a Sentence
Noun
She has a collection of pastels.
She prefers a pastel like light yellow.
The room is painted in a pastel shade of blue.
Adjective
a pastel blue to go with the pale pink walls
Recent Examples on the Web
Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Apr. 2024
The latest arrivals come in various colors from vibrant light blue, pastel lavender, tan, and black.
—Essence, 1 Apr. 2024
Inside, a sophisticated palette blends pastel shades with gold and crystal, enhancing the classic elegance with a lighter contemporary feeling.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2024
Their work is matched in determination by Delhomme’s rigid mise-en-scène, drawing our eye past the Easter-egg pastels of the costumes and soft furnishings to hard angles and somber shadows.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 27 Mar. 2024
The cans feature the neon pastel colors of the Padres’ City Connect uniforms.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2024
Deacon looked to Sanderson’s archive of British countryside florals and added his own flourishes to fabrics and wall coverings in a soothing palette of pastels and pale earth tones.
—Kate Maxwell Lindsey Tramuta Reggie Nadelson Gisela Williams Roxanne Fequiere Siska Lyssens, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
This one comes in 14 shades, ranging from pastel to deeper tones, and includes handy pockets.
—Wendy Vazquez, Southern Living, 20 Mar. 2024
Spring is the season for pastels, and this light blue Alexia Admor dress will stand out from reception to cocktail hour.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, Peoplemag, 6 Apr. 2024
Dorian Smith-Garcia, Parents, 18 Apr. 2024
How the optical illusion—modeled here by Lulu Tenney—was achieved: On top of bleached brows and sheer pastel pigments, McGrath misted seven or eight coats of a concoction composed of various peel-off masks and water through an airbrush machine.
—Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2024
Paired with pastel turquoise eyeshadow and a pale lip, Ross set the tone for nostalgic beauty this week.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 13 Apr. 2024
This colorful crowd — the Bowl looks like a pastel kaleidoscope of leis and Hawaiian shirts — is on its feet and loving it.
—Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Shades of this versatile color can run the gamut from dusky, pastel tones to golden, glowy hues.
—Grace Haynes, Southern Living, 20 Mar. 2024
However, the in-stock options are perfect for spring and beyond, including off-white with pastel accent colors, beige, and maroon.
—Bridget Degnan, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2024
The Day-Date—a serious watch associated with multiple U.S. presidents—morphed into a pastel puzzle with hippy-dippy messages in place of the weekdays and emoticons in place of the date.
—Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2024
Now the pink du jour is baby pink, a pastel hue perfect for spring.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 8 Apr. 2024
Noun
Polished chrome accents and marble mosaic floor tiles bring an elegant sensibility to what could otherwise be an overly sweet pastel scheme.
—Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Apr. 2024
The latest arrivals come in various colors from vibrant light blue, pastel lavender, tan, and black.
—Essence, 1 Apr. 2024
Inside, a sophisticated palette blends pastel shades with gold and crystal, enhancing the classic elegance with a lighter contemporary feeling.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2024
Their work is matched in determination by Delhomme’s rigid mise-en-scène, drawing our eye past the Easter-egg pastels of the costumes and soft furnishings to hard angles and somber shadows.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 27 Mar. 2024
The cans feature the neon pastel colors of the Padres’ City Connect uniforms.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2024
Deacon looked to Sanderson’s archive of British countryside florals and added his own flourishes to fabrics and wall coverings in a soothing palette of pastels and pale earth tones.
—Kate Maxwell Lindsey Tramuta Reggie Nadelson Gisela Williams Roxanne Fequiere Siska Lyssens, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
This one comes in 14 shades, ranging from pastel to deeper tones, and includes handy pockets.
—Wendy Vazquez, Southern Living, 20 Mar. 2024
Spring is the season for pastels, and this light blue Alexia Admor dress will stand out from reception to cocktail hour.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, Peoplemag, 6 Apr. 2024
Adjective
As an alternative for young builders, a set of pastel wooden building blocks is on sale for nearly half off, while an adorable Melissa & Doug play food set that comes with wooden utensils and a mini oven mitt will delight those who love imaginative play.
—Dorian Smith-Garcia, Parents, 18 Apr. 2024
How the optical illusion—modeled here by Lulu Tenney—was achieved: On top of bleached brows and sheer pastel pigments, McGrath misted seven or eight coats of a concoction composed of various peel-off masks and water through an airbrush machine.
—Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2024
Paired with pastel turquoise eyeshadow and a pale lip, Ross set the tone for nostalgic beauty this week.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 13 Apr. 2024
This colorful crowd — the Bowl looks like a pastel kaleidoscope of leis and Hawaiian shirts — is on its feet and loving it.
—Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Shades of this versatile color can run the gamut from dusky, pastel tones to golden, glowy hues.
—Grace Haynes, Southern Living, 20 Mar. 2024
However, the in-stock options are perfect for spring and beyond, including off-white with pastel accent colors, beige, and maroon.
—Bridget Degnan, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2024
The Day-Date—a serious watch associated with multiple U.S. presidents—morphed into a pastel puzzle with hippy-dippy messages in place of the weekdays and emoticons in place of the date.
—Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2024
Now the pink du jour is baby pink, a pastel hue perfect for spring.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 8 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pastel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Pastel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pastel. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pastel
1 of 2 noun
pas·tel
pas-ˈtel 
1
a
: a paste made of ground color and used for making crayons
b
: a crayon of such paste
2
: a drawing in pastel
3
: any of various pale or light colors
pastel
2 of 2 adjective1
: of, relating to, or made with pastels
2
: pale and light in color
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