dabble

verb

dab·​ble ˈda-bəl 

dabbled; dabbling ˈda-b(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to work or involve oneself superficially or intermittently especially in a secondary activity or interest

dabbles in art

2

a

: to paddle, splash, or play in or as if in water

b

: to reach with the bill to the bottom of shallow water in order to obtain food

transitive verb

: to wet by splashing or by little dips or strokes : spatter

Examples of dabble in a Sentence

The ducks dabbled in the stream.

She sat by the pool, dabbling her feet in the cool water.

Recent Examples on the Web

The store was run by Sam Yuen, head of one of Los Angeles’ tongs, which were secret societies made up of men from China who often dabbled in illicit activities. —Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026

Outside of his playing career, Adams has dabbled in ownership, with stakes in USL clubs Westchester SC and the Hudson Valley Hammers. —Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 11 June 2026

Outside of her modeling career, she’s dabbled in acting, appearing in a 2019 episode of grown-ish and starring in 2020 BET+ film Trigger. —Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 10 June 2026

The 37-year-old said his medical services businesses had given him enough wealth to dabble in private travel, although the costs put him off. —Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

perhaps frequentative of dab entry 2

First Known Use

1557, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for dabble

• babble
• babel
• drabble
• gabble
• nabal
• rabble
• scrabble
• immeasurable

Kids Definition

dabble

verb

dab·​ble ˈdab-əl 

dabbled; dabbling -(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to wet by splashing : spatter

2

a

: to paddle or play in or as if in water

b

: to reach with the bill to the bottom of shallow water to obtain food

ducks dabbled in the pond

3

: to work or concern oneself lightly or without deep involvement

they dabble in poetry

dabbler

-(ə-)lər

noun