dappled

adjective

dap·​pled ˈda-pəld 

variants or less commonly dapple

ˈda-pəl 

: marked with small spots or patches contrasting with the background

a dappled fawn

Synonyms

• dotted
• flecked
• specked

Examples of dappled in a Sentence

a forest that was vibrant with the dappled foliage of autumn

Recent Examples on the Web

Two seconds, three, all of us immobilized in shock while my son, the toddler, went down like a ship’s anchor, all the way down through nine feet of water to the dappled sloping bottom. —T. Coraghessan Boyle, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025

North from Florence, the roads twist through rolling hills and ancient villages, past rippling streams and the dappled shade from oak trees. —Jonathan Hawkins, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025

Knead Wine One of the newer additions to the dining scene, Tremolo Bar serves small plates both indoors and out on a light-dappled patio. —Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 31 Aug. 2025

Too Much Sun Pothos are tropical understory plants adapted to thrive in the dappled light that filters through the upper canopy. —Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dappled

• grappled

Kids Definition

dappled

adjective

dap·​pled

ˈdap-əld

variants also dapple

: marked with numerous usually cloudy and rounded spots or patches of a color or shade different from their background

a dappled fawn

rested in the dappled shade