ashen

¹ American  

[ash-uhn] / ˈæʃ ən /

adjective

1. ash-colored; gray.

   Synonyms:

   ashy

2. extremely pale; drained of color; pallid.

   His face was ashen.

   Synonyms:

   colorless, pasty

3. consisting of ashes.

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ashen ² American  

[ash-uhn] / ˈæʃ ən /

adjective

1. pertaining to the ash tree or its timber.

2. made of wood from the ash tree.

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ashen ¹ British  

/ ˈæʃən /

adjective

1. drained of colour; pallid

2. consisting of or resembling ashes

3. of a pale greyish colour

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ashen ² British  

/ ˈæʃən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or made from the ash tree or its timber

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Etymology

Origin of ashen¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; ash ¹, -en ²

Origin of ashen²

before 1000; Middle English, Old English; ash ², -en ²

Example Sentences

The sky over British Columbia was ashen and spitting indifferent snow as I navigated the slush to the Vancouver soundstage where much of the show was filmed.

From New York Times

Twenty minutes later, he emerged ashen and shaking.

From New York Times

Two hundreds miles west, in the Karoo region, the pandemic’s tolls have been exacerbated by a drought stretching into its eighth year, transforming a landscape once lush with green shrubs into a dull, ashen gray.

From New York Times

Crews on Tuesday will contend with a variety of conditions even as the ashen haze dissipates, including monsoonal moisture patterns that can create huge cloud formations and bring the possibility of lightning and strong wind.

From Los Angeles Times

“This is really good,” said Mr. Thompson, 53, scratching an ‘X’ into the ashen soil with his shoe.

From New York Times