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 of dappled

• dotted

Examples of dappled in a Sentence

a forest that was vibrant with the dappled foliage of autumn

Recent Examples on the Web

Morning sun is best, so keep these flowers on a porch that shades them from afternoon sun or provides dappled light. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 1 July 2026

Visitors moved from the sandstone cliffs of Antelope Canyon to the dappled light of the Ponderosa forests, and then the bright starscape of the Sonoran Desert. — Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 30 June 2026

Maintain even moisture Tree and woodland peonies do better in dappled light, but herbaceous peonies require 6 to 8 hours of full sunlight daily for best flowering and upright growth. — Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 29 June 2026

Plant hardy arborvitae in zones 2 through 8, placing containers in areas with dappled sunlight, full sun, or partial shade. — Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 23 June 2026

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