doll

noun

ˈdäl 

ˈdȯl

1

: a small-scale figure of a human being used especially as a child's plaything

2

a(1)

: a pretty but often empty-headed young woman

(2)

: woman

b

: darling, sweetheart

c

: an attractive person

dollish

ˈdä-lish 

ˈdȯ-

adjective

dollishly adverb

dollishness noun

Synonyms of doll

• dolly
• puppet

Examples of doll in a Sentence

My aunt collects porcelain dolls.

there was a row of dolls along the shelf in the bedroom

Recent Examples on the Web

Ostensibly an effort to recenter the female perspective in some of the most famous tales from the Book of Genesis, the three-part event miniseries instead treats its characters like paper dolls to be pushed around at the whims of a narrative set in stone millennia ago. —Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 22 Mar. 2026

In 1935 — two years after the Griffin MSI opened, but well before the Fairy Castle arrived there — Moore's elaborate doll house went on a national tour. —Adam Harrington, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026

And once a doll, always a doll. —Edward Segarra, USA Today, 21 Mar. 2026

According to the social media post, the Independence Police Department has already tracked the majority of the dolls sold. —Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

probably from Doll, nickname for Dorothy

First Known Use

1693, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing doll

• Barbie doll
• bobblehead doll
• doll's house
• doll up
• rag doll

Rhymes for doll

• ahl
• all
• aul
• bawl
• brawl
• call
• caul
• crawl
• dol
• drawl
• fall
• gall

Kids Definition

doll

noun

ˈdäl 

ˈdȯl

1

: a small figure of a human being used especially as a child's plaything

2

a

: a pretty young woman

b

: an attractive person