as in blotch
a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part a tie having eyespots of blue on a light gray background

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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 eyespot The great argus is an at-risk species with an elaborate pattern of eyespots on its tail feathers, according to Thai National Parks. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 14 May 2025 Peacock butterflies are distinguished by a series of striking eyespots on their wings, which serve to threaten or confuse potential predators. Michael Franco, New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2024 But why did some lineages evolve shell eyes rather than eyespots? Quanta Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 First, red eyespots appear; then the amorphous bodies coalesce and darken into their ferocious adult forms. Nala Rogers, Popular Mechanics, 9 Aug. 2023 Their long hindwing tails and eyespots combine to give them a look resembling an elephant’s face. Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 18 July 2023 First, Rowland and her co-author trained chicks to attack a mealworm hidden behind a paper printout of two eyespots at the end of a runway. Maddie Bender, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2023 The 30-centimeter-long adult grows out of a larva that is little more than a sesame seed–size blob with an eyespot at one end and a band of cilia around its body. Byelizabeth Pennisi, science.org, 17 Jan. 2023 The eyespot is studded with light-sensitive proteins called channelrhodopsins. Marc Zimmer, The Conversation, 5 Aug. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eyespot
Noun
  • White blotches — the frostbitten tissue — swelled on the roof of his mouth, uvula and throat.
    Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 2 July 2025
  • Verticillium wilt causes similar blotches and yellowing.
    Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • There are three large exclamation marks at the end, with their dots dangling below them.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 July 2025
  • Polar's strap has a comfortable buckle connector and silicone dots to keep it in place.
    Adrienne So, Wired News, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • Serve them with slices of prosciutto or speck, sure.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2025
  • Dishes such as beef stew with speck dumplings or Wienerschnitzel in butter breaded veal cutlet, with roasted potatoes and cranberry jam, are big favorites.
    Paul Caputo, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
Noun
  • Her eyes were always moist, with dark patches underneath.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 July 2025
  • Beneath a cloudy sky with patches of sunlight, families prayed and sang Christian worship songs with outstretched arms.
    NBC News, NBC news, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • In any case, there are sure to be at least a few flecks of moss or lichen, gray or gray-green, on that side.
    Ted Updike, Outdoor Life, 22 May 2025
  • The workmanship shows in the color and precision of the grout, the mottling of dark flecks, and the triangular pieces where the arches meet — details that give the façade a subliminal liveliness.
    Justin Davidson, Curbed, 5 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Eyespot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eyespot. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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