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 administration has dabbled in impounding funds appropriated by Congress, despite a law barring this. —David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 29 Dec. 2025

Feig had dabbled in le cinéma du airport read before with A Simple Favor, his 2018 take on Darcy Bell’s novel about a momfluencer searching for her missing friend in the upper-crust suburbs of Connecticut. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2025

One that even this reporter dabbled in, in the name of journalism. —Pilar Melendez, NBC news, 26 Dec. 2025

Their older son Mike followed in Chuck's footsteps as an actor and stunt performer in Hollywood, while their younger son Eric dabbled in professional racing with NASCAR before settling into his own role as a stunt coordinator and driver in Holywood. —Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025

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