pall 1 of 2

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

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pall

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verb

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

Examples 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
But President Ronald Reagan was shot that afternoon in an assassination attempt, casting a pall over the celebration. Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024 Although the monologue cast a pall over the rest of the show, the sketches that followed made for a loose, rip-roaring episode. Joe Berkowitz, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2024
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
Noun
  • In 1931, a flood damaged the cathedral’s crypt, exposing the three rulers’ coffins.
    Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2025
  • After the funeral, Carter’s coffin was flown to Plains, Ga., for a private service at his local church.
    David Leonhardt, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Fire tornadoes occur when intense wind combines with conditions in the atmosphere to produce clouds of smoke that reach 20,000 to 40,000 feet, Swain said.
    Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 13 Jan. 2025
  • If there’s been some tension, a heavy cloud or just a feeling of stagnation around your passions, romantic life or in regard to children, the universe is embracing you this week and assuring you that the cosmos are still on your side.
    Kyle Thomas, People.com, 12 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Mars clouds have wispy features, more like a gauzy veil than a fluffy sheep.
    Amanda Kooser, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
  • Alas, the clouds soon gathered, casting their veil over the moon, obscuring it from sight.
    Brett Tingley, Space.com, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Though the storm largely subsided by Tuesday morning, another weather system forecast is expected to spread a wintry mess from Texas to the East Coast later this week, which means people likely won't be able to put down the shovels anytime soon.
    Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2025
  • Seek help from a healthcare provider if your baby exhibits any signs of an allergic reaction that don’t subside on their own with time.
    Laura Dorwart, Verywell Health, 7 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Before the trip home, the former president was memorialized at Washington National Cathedral on Thursday morning before Special Air Mission 39 at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland took his casket on its final journey.
    Shirleen Guerra | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Kent Nishimura | Afp | Getty Images The casket bearing the remains of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter arrives inside Washington National Cathedral for his state funeral on January 9, 2025 in Washington, DC.
    Josephine Rozzelle, CNBC, 9 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The Shrouds David Cronenberg’s body horror flick stars Vincent Cassel as Karsh, a businessman overwhelmed with grief at the death of his wife who builds a device — a high-tech shroud — to watch her body decompose in real-time.
    Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Jan. 2025
  • The 20th century saw the shrouds surrounding the mysteries of science and creation being pulled back to reveal a universe of incredible, awe-inspiring wonder.
    Ken Bridges, Austin American-Statesman, 31 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Maryland faltered for the first time, a loss that dims but shouldn’t diminish its impressive start as its ceiling comes clearer into focus.
    Taylor Lyons, Baltimore Sun, 9 Jan. 2025
  • That’s a trend that’s stayed steady throughout the season to the point that any upward regression expected by the model has diminished.
    Dom Luszczyszyn, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • That's where Joseph Keil found a skeleton in a sarcophagus filled with water, but for some reason, Keil only removed the cranium from the tomb before sealing it back up.
    Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 13 Jan. 2025
  • The tomb provides insights into medical practices of the time and highlights the significance of such figures in ancient society.
    Stories by Real-Time news team, with AI summarization, Miami Herald, 13 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near pall

Cite this Entry

“Pall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pall. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

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