PURPLE Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words

purple

adjective

ˈpər-pəl

Definition of purple

as in rhetorical

full of fine words and fancy expressions an overwritten novel with far too many purple patches

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of purple Petals can be vivid blue, white, or purple; the center of each flower is usually yellow or yellowish green. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026 If summer was all about red, then fall and winter 2026 will be defined by purple shoes. — Nuria Luis, Glamour, 9 Oct. 2026 On the ground, bike riders and hikers pass prairie plants and native grasses laden with early fall seed — little blue stem, yellow prairie grass, goldenrod, whorled milkweed, purple cone flower, common milkweed, coreopsis and others. — Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 Fiery performance artist Maureen (Lazy Violet), with hair dyed half purple and half platinum, moons the crowd of one (me) — and drag queen Angel (Jeevan Braich) shows up fashionably late halfway through the number, just as the character would. — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for purple

Recent Examples of Synonyms for purple

Adjective

Maybe that’s what tips her into some recklessness of her own, with an explanation of Hal’s forceful personality and brilliant rhetorical style as being intoxicating.

— Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
That club includes former President Obama, whose rhetorical style has been compared to the young senator.

— Jared Gans, The Hill, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of rhetorical

Adjective

Next up is a house tour, from the cavernous, all-white living room to a glimpse of the ornate indoor pool, with V lamenting that the place is so huge he sometimes gets lost.

— Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 15 Oct. 2026
Many of its original details, from formal entry galleries and large terraces to ornate moldings and herringbone floors, remain.

— Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of ornate

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purls

purple

purple passage

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“Purple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purple. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of purple

adjective

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