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

Nuna’s beauty team, consisting of hairstylist Antoine Martinez and makeup artist Ashley Sable, likewise leaned into the theme of the look as part of Jacobs’s spring 2025 collection, which explored surreal elements on models styled as doll-like silhouettes. —Laurie Brookins, HollywoodReporter, 5 Jan. 2026

The resale prices of Labubus started to fall after Pop Mart increased production of the dolls to meet demand, according to CNBC. —Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026

As Madeleine Grynsztejn observes in her catalogue contribution, the clothes worn by his figures are based on doll costumes that Marshall sews by hand. —James Meyer, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026

The collection of items started when the museum's founder, Corinn Flaherty, spotted the head of a 1940s-era doll on a deserted beach in 2015. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 31 Dec. 2025

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