Meaning & use
pastel colors
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Meaning
nounplural
Soft, light shades that have a lot of white mixed in, such as pale pink, baby blue, or mint green.
Grammar: Always used in the plural when talking about the group of shades; for a single shade, say 'a pastel color'.
Patterns
- pastel colors like ...
- in pastel colors
- wear pastel colors
The nursery was decorated in pastel colors like pale yellow and soft pink.
She prefers pastel colors for her spring wardrobe.
The artist mixed white into the paint to create a range of pastel colors.
Word forms
| singular | pastel color |
|---|
Common combinations
- soft pastel colors
- The wedding invitations used soft pastel colors.
- pastel color palette
- The designer chose a pastel color palette for the website.
- in pastel colors
- The room was painted in pastel colors.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pale colors
- A more general term; 'pastel colors' specifically suggests a soft, chalky, light quality.
- light colors
- Broader and less precise; 'pastel colors' always implies a muted, whitish tint.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: pastel colors or pastel?
pastel colors vs pastel
As a noun, 'pastel' is the drawing tool; as a color term, it is usually an adjective, e.g., 'pastel pink'.
Practice
The baby's room was painted in ______ such as light green and pale yellow.
Choose one answer.
The phrase needs a plural noun to match 'such as light green and pale yellow'; 'pastel colors' is correct. 'Pastel color' is singular and would not agree with the plural examples.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pastel colors”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.