pale yellow

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparable

   Of a soft, light shade of yellow with little strength of color.

   Grammar: Used before a noun (pale yellow walls) or after be (the walls are pale yellow).

   Patterns

   • painted pale yellow

   She painted the nursery a pale yellow.

   The pale yellow curtains let in a soft glow.

   Primroses have delicate pale yellow flowers.

2. 2noununcountable

   A soft, light shade of yellow.

   Grammar: Uncountable when it names the color: a shade of pale yellow.

   Patterns

   • a shade of pale yellow

   The walls were done in pale yellow.

   Pale yellow suits a sunny kitchen.

   The morning sky turned from gray to pale yellow.

Common combinations

pale yellow flowers

Pale yellow flowers lined the garden path.

pale yellow walls

The pale yellow walls made the room feel bright.

pale yellow glow

A pale yellow glow came from the lamp.

pale yellow wine

The pale yellow wine was cold and crisp.

shade of pale yellow

The paint is a shade of pale yellow called butter.

Synonyms and how they differ

cream

Cream is slightly warmer and softer than pale yellow, closer to off-white.

lemon

Lemon is a clear, light yellow with a sharper, brighter tone than pale yellow.

straw

Straw is a muted dry-grass yellow, a little duller than pale yellow.

primrose

Primrose is a delicate greenish pale yellow named after the flower.

Opposites

Word family

yellow adjective

the color of lemons or butter

yellowish adjective

slightly yellow

pale adjective

light in color

paleness noun

the quality of being light in color

Commonly confused: pale yellow or golden?

Practice

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