1
: variegated in color
a motley coat
2
: made up of many different people or things
a motley crowd
a motley collection of junk
Synonyms
Examples of motley in a Sentence
Adjective
a motley collection of junk
a motley crew of musicians
Noun
the motleys with their colorful outfits
a motley of old junk stored in the attic
Recent Examples on the Web
Glenn Peoples, Billboard, 16 Apr. 2024
Yes, 20 years since a motley group of Brits chose to ride out the zombie apocalypse at their local pub.
—Longreads, 12 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for motley 
Adjective
Founded by a team of synch and licensing veterans with funding from a motley cast of investors, executives and entrepreneurs, the company is trying to build a better mousetrap that simplifies a time-consuming process and, possibly, reduces the threat from emerging technology.
—Glenn Peoples, Billboard, 16 Apr. 2024
Yes, 20 years since a motley group of Brits chose to ride out the zombie apocalypse at their local pub.
—Longreads, 12 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for motley
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'motley.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near motley
Cite this Entry
“Motley.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motley. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
motley
1 of 2 adjective
mot·ley
ˈmät-lē 
1
: having various colors
2
: composed of various often unlike kinds or parts
a motley collection of junk
motley
2 of 2 noun1
a
: a garment of mixed colors worn by a court jester
2
: a mixture of different elements
Biographical Definition
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share