as in fleck
a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part
the clouds threw dapples of shadow over the eerily quiet street
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to sprinkle
to mark with small spots especially unevenly
sunlight dappled the canopy of vines over our heads
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dapple
Dallas News, 9 May 2022
Piglet is a Chihuahua-dachshund mix, with a genetic condition called double dapple that causes eyesight and hearing difficulties.
—Susan Dunne, courant.com, 29 Jan. 2022
Jeanine Barone, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The stage, covered in a crumbling cityscape and backed by a massive screen, sat next to a cross-shaped catwalk on the stadium floor dappled with giant golden rings.
—Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dapple
Noun
While out on walks in Dallas’ Uptown, people often stop Alison Roche to ask about her brown, dapple, floppy-eared dachshund.
—Dallas News, 9 May 2022
Piglet is a Chihuahua-dachshund mix, with a genetic condition called double dapple that causes eyesight and hearing difficulties.
—Susan Dunne, courant.com, 29 Jan. 2022
Verb
In fact, tree canopies provide delightful shade allowing the sun to dapple the path.
—Jeanine Barone, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The stage, covered in a crumbling cityscape and backed by a massive screen, sat next to a cross-shaped catwalk on the stadium floor dappled with giant golden rings.
—Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dapple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dapple
Noun
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Nice vanilla bean flecks and round, fatty flavor with only the subtlest hint of coconut.—
Alex Beggs,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
28 Oct. 2025
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And Abrams-Draine still managed to emerge with just a few flecks of soot after getting thrown in the fire last season, picking off Justin Herbert in a loss to the Chargers and establishing himself as a building block in a spot start.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Others, like Havaizinho, were sprinkled with rustic beach huts selling sugarcane juice and beer, along with vendors renting umbrellas and chairs.—
David Amsden,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
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Their twist on candy cane ice cream is refreshing, a little punchy, and sprinkled with peppermint candy for a little festive flair.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Email cpatteson@washingtonexaminer dot com or mmerino@washingtonexaminer dot com for tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else.—
Callie Patteson,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Nov. 2025
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In the western part of the state, Radford, Montgomery, Roanoke City, Martinsville and Danville, Lynchburg and Lexington voted for Spanberger, blue dots in a sea of red.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Scorched and stained pots and pans almost always require scraping and scouring, and cast-iron skillets can rust when soaked.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
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Julia Fox's costume consisted of a pink suit stained with fake blood, meant to resemble the former first lady shortly after the assassination of her husband.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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These black specks show up each autumn, congregating on my screens and windowsill, and complicating my desire to open the window on a pleasant day.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
4 Nov. 2025
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The vacuum is dedicated to getting even the tiniest specks of dirt, circling back two or three times until the area is spotless.—
Terri Williams,
Architectural Digest,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The marbling method, a simple smoosh, pinch, and roll, creates bakery-worthy swirls in every cookie.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Oct. 2025
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Ravn’s prose is striking too, richly marbled with quotation and detail pulled from primary source letters and court documents.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Photos show the Maratus australis spider, which has an intricate pattern of blue and brown blotches edged with bright teal and red-orange stripes.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
4 Nov. 2025
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The one blemish — or ugly blotch — was that crushing 7-2 Champions League defeat against Paris Saint-Germain last week.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Hingham peppered the Notre Dame (11-5-3) net in the first half, out-shooting the Cougars at an 8-0 clip.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
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Mamdani did make some nods to boosting bureaucratic efficiency and improving public safety, but populists always pepper their speeches with promises that almost everyone can support.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dapple. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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