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
Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 17 Nov. 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
Julie Tremaine, People.com, 9 Mar. 2025
Venturing so close to the splattering surf that her tight-fitting jeans are dappled with wet.
—Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dapple
Noun
Gleaming spots caused by methane ice clouds in the planet's atmosphere dapple its lower half.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 17 Nov. 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
Dakota appears to have dappled in acting before working on other creative ventures.
—Julie Tremaine, People.com, 9 Mar. 2025
Venturing so close to the splattering surf that her tight-fitting jeans are dappled with wet.
—Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dapple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dapple
Noun
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The gloss comes in six sheer shades, ranging from clear to a purple hue, and four of them include shimmery flecks that’ll catch the light to make your lips look even juicier.—
Angela Trakoshis,
Allure,
4 June 2025
-
Miniature crystals dot the brown enamel to look like flecks of salt.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
People.com,
9 May 2025
Verb
-
Allow cookies to cool completely before sprinkling powdered sugar on the walnut cookies.—
Lillian Ali,
Smithsonian Magazine,
17 June 2025
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Head to nearby Portland to experience these peppers in a more traditional way, sprinkled over one of the USA’s 50 Top Pizzas at Ken’s Artisan.—
Elena Valeriote,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
Noun
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For example, Apple's Face ID employs infrared dot projection and on-device AI to prevent spoofing.—
Rohan Pinto,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
-
Schoolhouse Dot Percale Sheet Set $199 Schoolhouse Polka dots aren’t solely for the pint-sized among us.—
Shoko Wanger,
Architectural Digest,
16 June 2025
Verb
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As both business owner and head baker — her black chef’s coat is usually powdered with flour, her hands stained with icing — Vee won’t have time this June to participate in the Chicago Pride Parade.—
Sophie Levenson,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2025
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The team that would replace us would be stained, football would be stained.—
Felipe Cardenas,
New York Times,
17 June 2025
Noun
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Like specks of dirt falling victim to a vacuum, balls were simply drawn into his glove.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
19 June 2025
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This natural phenomenon, in which light-emitting sea creatures like algae cause the water to glitter with specks of blue and white light, is best viewed on a dark, moonless night.—
Jessie Beck,
AFAR Media,
16 June 2025
Verb
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Original price: $109.99 Get Crocs' signature marbled look in a sneaker version with the Echo Storm marble clog.—
Christopher Murray
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2025
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The marbling itself is called shimofuri and makes for tender cuts of beef that melt in your mouth.—
Yukari Sakamoto,
AFAR Media,
12 June 2025
Noun
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Their backs are a mixture of cream dots, orange-ish speckles and brown blotches.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
2 June 2025
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These are more typically animals with stripes instead of blotches, missing patterns, and similar.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
People.com,
16 May 2025
Verb
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The rest of the cast creates a convincing family, given and found, around our hero, and there are details aplenty that help the show stick: Jokes are peppered in consistently enough to recognize each character as much more than a vehicle for exposition.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
24 June 2025
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The judge peppered Reuveni with questions: How was Abrego Garcia seized?—
Andrea Hsu,
NPR,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dapple. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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