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

Site Selection and Soil Preparation Since temperatures are a factor, choose a planting location with full morning sun and dappled afternoon shade to help keep the soil cooler. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2025

Then there’s the beach club area at the stern, with a pool serving as the ceiling that delivers dappled light and a beautiful blue glow to the room below. —Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2025

Choose a location with six hours or more of sunshine daily, although dappled afternoon shade is perfect in hot climates. —Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Oct. 2025

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

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