What does paled mean?
“Paled” is the past tense and past participle of the verb “pale.” Its most common use is intransitive: a person or part of the body becomes pale, usually because of fear, surprise, illness, exhaustion, or another strong physical reaction. For example, a witness may “pale at the sight” of an accident, or a frightened reader may watch a character’s face “pale.” The verb can also be transitive, meaning that something has been made pale or has lost colour, brightness, or intensity, as in “the mist paled the hills.” In these contexts, “paled” suggests a gradual loss of intensity rather than necessarily a complete disappearance. It is standard in both British and American English and is particularly associated with changes in a person’s complexion. Although its basic adjective sense is now its dominant one, “pale” also has older and less common meanings relating to faint colours, weak light, and diminished brilliance.
verbTo become pale, especially because of fear, shock, illness, or anxiety. It can also mean to make something pale or less bright.
- To become pale, especially as a physical reaction to fear, shock, illness, or strong emotion.
- To make something pale or cause it to lose brightness or intensity.
"Her face paled as she read the message."
"The child paled at the sight of the empty cradle."
"Fog paled the distant hills until they were almost invisible."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does paled come from?
English “pale” comes through Old French “pal” from Latin “pallidus,” originally meaning “shining” or “bright” and later associated with a pallid complexion. Latin “pallidus” developed from “pallere,” meaning “to shine.” Related English words include “pallid” and “pallor,” while “paleface” preserves the same root in a compound associated with a person’s complexion.
Related word forms
How paled is actually used
“Paled” is the simple past tense and past participle of “pale.” It most often describes a person’s face or complexion, while transitive uses often refer to light, colour, or something becoming less intense.
Easily confused with paled
“Paled” is pronounced /peɪld/ and means to become pale, whereas “pail,” pronounced /peɪl/, is a container.