dough

noun

Synonyms of doughnext
1
: a mixture that consists essentially of flour or meal and a liquid (such as milk or water) and is stiff enough to knead or roll
2
: something resembling dough especially in consistency
3
: money
doesn't have much dough
4
military : doughboy
doughlike adjective

Examples of dough in a Sentence

I don't have much dough. didn't have to spend a lot of dough for a new stereo
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Caramel swirl, mint chip, or cookie dough all make indulgent fillings that work well with the chocolate ganache and Oreo cookie crust. Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 30 June 2026 The cookie dough was sold at Target starting June 11, according to the recall notice. Julia Gomez, USA Today, 29 June 2026 Sheeted, cut into triangles, and rolled in the tradition of a classic croissant, the pastry reflects precise lamination, reimagined through potato dough to achieve a texture that is both light and savory. Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Transfer dough to reserved bowl and turn to coat with residual pepperoni oil in bowl. ABC News, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for dough

Word History

Etymology

Middle English doh, dogh, dowe, going back to Old English dāg, going back to Germanic *daiga- (whence Middle Dutch deech "dough," Old High German teig, Old Norse deig, deigr, Gothic daigs), ablaut derivative from the base of *digan-, *dīgan- "to knead, shape" (whence Gothic digan, gadigan "to knead, form from clay"), going back to Indo-European *dhei̯ǵh- "knead, shape" — more at feign

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dough was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dough.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dough. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

dough

noun
1
: a soft mass of moistened flour or meal thick enough to knead or roll
2
: something resembling dough especially in consistency
3
doughy
ˈdō-ē
adjective

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