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pallid

pallid

3 7.5
Having a very pale face because of illness, shock, or deep worry
  • adjective
  • /ˈpælɪd/
translation icon : pálido
  • A flush of life returned to Catherine's pallid cheeks, and she visibly perked up.

And they were angry that Mister Biden, who arrived for the debate in Atlanta with a summer tan, was made-up to look pale and pallid.

Examples

  • Colonel Fredricks was a tall, pallid man who resembled a cadaver.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • Her sparkling eyes lost their lustre; her face became pallid as death.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Have a sip, you look pallid, Anna.

  • Her hair was almost gray, and her face was pallid and lined.

    Academic text (2009)
  • I admire your conviction, Silver, but your pallid complexion concerns me.

  • Darling, is that a wrinkle I see on your pallid brow?

  • Even in this dark hole, Meredydd could tell the girl was pallid and sweating.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The pained look on Innes's pallid face said that she knew full well what was at stake here.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • His usually baby-pink cheeks were pallid; the skin was trenched with small canals.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • After staying up all night, she looked pallid and tired at breakfast.

Synonyms

pale
vspallid
291 1.0

Has very light color and often looks sick or afraid

applies specifically to faces, often from illness or strong emotion
cadaverous
vspallid
1 9.1

Very pale and thin, looking like a dead body

is less extreme, referring mainly to paleness rather than corpse-like thinness
pale-faced
vspallid
1 4.9

A person with a very pale face because of illness or fear

is a one-word adjective used for the same face paleness
dough-faced
vspallid
1 9.8

A pale, tired face that looks weak

is paler because of health or strong emotion, not merely dullness
blanched
vspallid
6.8

Pale in the face because of fear, shock, or illness

is paler in general because of poor health or ongoing distress
wan
vspallid
7.4

Pale in the face and looking sick or unhappy

is paler mainly because of poor health, shock, or emotional distress
drawn
vspallid
4.9

A face that looks tired, pale, and worried

is mainly about simple paleness rather than tense, aged worry signs

Antonyms

23 1.0

A pink or light red color that shows good health

Compounds

8.7

A bat with large ears and pale yellow fur that lives in western North America caves

How Pale

bloodless
3 5.9
ashen
5 5.1
pallid
3 7.5
wan
7.4
pale
291 1.0

Surface Forms

pallid positive
pallider comparative
pallidest superlative

Etymology

The word pallid comes from the Latin pallidus, from pallere meaning 'to be pale'. So pallid describes a very pale face, like when you are sick or shocked.