What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
sallow
Example
The patient's face looked sallow and jaundiced. [sallow: adjective]
Example
She had a sallow complexion that made her look older than she was. [sallow: noun]
pale
Example
He looked pale and weak after the surgery. [pale: adjective]
Example
Her face turned pale when she heard the bad news. [pale: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Pale is more commonly used than sallow in everyday language. Pale is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while sallow is less common and may be considered more formal or technical in some contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between sallow and pale?
While pale is typically associated with a neutral or informal tone, sallow is more formal and may be used in medical or technical contexts.
