pall 1 of 2

noun

Definition of pallnext
1
as in coffin
a boxlike container for holding a dead body bearing her husband's pall were her four brothers and two nephews

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in cloud
an overspreading element that produces an atmosphere of gloom a persistent pall of distrust has overtaken this administration and will remain until the president resigns

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in veil
something that covers or conceals like a piece of cloth a pall of gloom overshadowed the failing theater's last production

Synonyms & Similar Words

pall

2 of 2

verb

ˈpȯl How to pronounce pall (audio)
as in to subside
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually viewers' interest in the reality show eventually palled

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word pall different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of pall are cloy, glut, gorge, sate, satiate, and surfeit. While all these words mean "to fill to repletion," pall emphasizes the loss of ability to stimulate interest or appetite.

a life of leisure eventually begins to pall

When is it sensible to use cloy instead of pall?

While the synonyms cloy and pall are close in meaning, cloy stresses the disgust or boredom resulting from such surfeiting.

sentimental pictures that cloy after a while

When might glut be a better fit than pall?

Although the words glut and pall have much in common, glut implies excess in feeding or supplying.

a market glutted with diet books

When is gorge a more appropriate choice than pall?

While in some cases nearly identical to pall, gorge suggests glutting to the point of bursting or choking.

gorged themselves with chocolate

How are the words satiate and sate related as synonyms of pall?

Both satiate and sate may sometimes imply only complete satisfaction but more often suggest repletion that has destroyed interest or desire.

years of globe-trotting had satiated their interest in travel
readers were sated with sensationalistic stories

In what contexts can surfeit take the place of pall?

The meanings of surfeit and pall largely overlap; however, surfeit implies a nauseating repletion.

surfeited themselves with junk food

Example Sentences

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 pall
Noun
His idiosyncratic performance in Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster earned universal acclaim, even as his untimely death cast a pall over the film. —Danny Horn, EW.com, 31 Mar. 2025 Whatever its final form, the president’s tariffs strategy continues to cast a pall over economic growth outlooks. —Rob Wile, NBC news, 24 Mar. 2025
Verb
If there was no Venice, does that mean that the overall attraction of an Adriatic cruise would pall? —Julia Buckley, CNN, 8 May 2021 Reduced to highlights and stripped of distinction, Percy’s adventures with Furies, oracles, Medusa, Ares and Hades quickly pall. —Jesse Green, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2019 See All Example Sentences for pall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pall
  1. coffin
  2. cloud
  3. veil
  4. subside
  5. casket
  6. shroud
  7. diminish
  8. tomb
Noun
  • On Thursday morning, the volunteers stacked coffins 10 layers deep outside the State Department headquarters to protest funding cuts to the global program known as PEPFAR, or the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
    — Orion Rummler, Them., 18 Apr. 2025
  • While all of the men who had been carrying the coffin faced injuries, the son of Aviles reportedly faced the worst injuries and was knocked out.
    — Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of coffin
Noun
  • Pregame The clouds are rolling into Fayetteville as Arkansas and Texas A&M players go through warmups.
    — Matt Jones, Arkansas Online, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Then, the dust cloud will reappear in the night sky toward the end of April.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of cloud
Noun
  • The exclusion of frill makes these unfussy bridal gowns ideal for accessorizing with a piece of special jewelry or a statement veil.
    — Sarah Zendejas, Vogue, 6 Apr. 2025
  • There’s the requisite shot of a perfect toro nigiri, a thin veil of soy sauce glistening on top, or a close-up of a minimalist ceramic vase.
    — Elena Clavarino, Air Mail, 5 Apr. 2025
Definition of veil
Verb
  • While the threat of more tornadoes has subsided in the Great Plains, fire danger remains elevated Monday in the region.
    — Ginger Zee, ABC News, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Inflation, which went wild post-Covid, subsided in February, according to data yesterday that gave markets a brief reprieve.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of subside
Noun
  • Consequently, as the Longacre exhumation shows, Polly was buried in Longacre’s casket, and Arthur couldn’t bear to strip his father of his dignity.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Beginning the week of June 2, soldiers, their horses and the caisson will carry caskets for two funerals a day and a maximum of 10 per week.
    — Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of casket
Noun
  • Rates for home loans dropped slightly, but may not go much lower as uncertainty from Washington shrouds the housing market.
    — Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2025
  • The sun is blotted out by a new 91-foot tall, stadium-like condominium that curves around the north end of the island and shrouds Gordon’s Building 3 in shadow part of the day.
    — Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2025
Definition of shroud
Verb
  • The previous six champions were all diminished the following season by either injuries or significant roster changes.
    — Jay King, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
  • But the same things that prevent parents from maintaining employment or housing — especially substance abuse and mental illness — often inhibit them from engaging in services, while also diminishing their ability to protect and care for their children.
    — Emily Putnam-Hornstein and Naomi Schaefer Riley, Twin Cities, 13 Apr. 2025
Definition of diminish
Noun
  • Related article Clashes erupt in western India as Hindu groups demand demolition of Mughal ruler’s tomb Modi’s BJP denies using the Mughal emperor’s name to defame India’s Muslims.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 18 Apr. 2025
  • See inside In Linfen, China, archaeologists uncovered a Yuan Dynasty tomb with a domed ceiling adorned with murals.
    — Stories by Real-Time news team, with AI summarization, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of tomb

Browse Nearby Words

palish
pall
palladia
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pall. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pall

Nglish: Translation of pall for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pall

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