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“Pail” or “Pale”

pail / pale are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term.

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Definitions

What each term means

Same sound, different spellings and meanings, shown with a pronunciation guide for each term.

pail p·EY·l

  • nounthe quantity contained in a pail.

pale p·EY·l

  • verbturn pale, as if in fear.
  • adjectivevery light colored; highly diluted with white.
  • adjective(of light) lacking in intensity or brightness; dim or feeble.
  • adjectivelacking in vitality or interest or effectiveness.
  • adjectiveabnormally deficient in color as suggesting physical or emotional distress.
  • adjectivenot full or rich.
Usage

Examples in context

Real sentences for each spelling. Hover an example to copy it.

“pail”

  • …then he would carry the pail of water to his little
  • The Milk Pail Restaurant east of East Dundee…
  • …made their way with a pail of water on their heads.
  • …masoned sable over which a pail of the third hanging on…

“pale”

  • …black, but always having a pale, almost yellow, line down the…
  • …that its ground color is pale sulfurous, not white, and the…
  • It is typically pale gray shading to darker gray…
  • The hindwings are pale brownish bronze with a brown
  • …are dull ash-coloured with a pale spot behind the middle.
  • It is grey-brown above and pale below.
  • When breeding the males develop pale cauliflower like glands on their…
  • …to produce a commercially valuable pale flesh.
  • …insect), antennae and legs are pale yellow.
  • …of the Velvet Underground song "Pale Blue Eyes."

Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license. Definitions are drawn from WordNet.

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