dote

verb

doted; doting

intransitive verb

1
: to exhibit mental decline of or like that of old age : be in one's dotage
2
: to be lavish or excessive in one's attention, fondness, or affection
usually used with on
doted on her only grandchild
doter noun
dotingly adverb

Examples of dote in a Sentence

doted on her only grandchild
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While their Instagram accounts are filled with doting posts about each other, Kwame shared a distressing update about his health in January, revealing that he'd been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025 Inside, the couple meet a mismatch of eccentric characters, like biker Eddie (Meat Loaf), butler Riff-Rat (O'Brien) and doting aid Columbia (Nell Campbell). Greta Cross, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025 The doting parents of three named their daughter, Rocki Irish, with many fans assuming that her first name was an obvious nod to her father’s stage name, while her middle name is a tribute to her late grandfather. Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 25 Sep. 2025 One Battle follows another ex-revolutionary (Leonardo DiCaprio), now holed up outside a fictional Northern California town and almost perpetually drunk or high, but otherwise doting on his teenage daughter (newcomer Chase Infiniti). Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 24 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dote

Word History

Etymology

Middle English; akin to Middle Low German dotten to be foolish

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dote was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dote.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dote. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

dote

verb
doted; doting
: to be excessive in one's attention or fondness
usually used with on
doted on their grandchild
dotingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on dote

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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