dribble

1 of 2

verb

drib·​ble ˈdri-bəl 

dribbled; dribbling ˈdri-b(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to issue sporadically and in small bits

2

: to let or cause to fall in drops little by little

3

a

: to propel by successive slight taps or bounces with hand, foot, or stick

dribble a basketball

dribble a puck

b

: to hit (a ball) without much force so that it bounces slowly along the ground

intransitive verb

1

: to fall or flow in drops or in a thin intermittent stream : trickle

2

: to let saliva trickle from the corner of the mouth : drool

3

: to come or issue in piecemeal or desultory fashion

4

a

: to dribble a ball or puck

b

: to proceed by dribbling

c

of a ball : to move with short bounces

dribbler

ˈdri-b(ə-)lər 

noun

dribble

2 of 2

noun

1

: a tiny or insignificant bit or quantity

2

: a small trickling stream or flow

3

: an act, instance, or manner of dribbling a ball or puck

dribbly

ˈdri-b(ə-)lē 

adjective

Synonyms of dribble

Verb

• drip
• flow

Noun

• speck
• bit
• fleck
• particle
• grain
• scrap
• mouthful
• shred
• lick
• patch
• snippet
• crumb
• molecule
• drop

Examples of dribble in a Sentence

Verb

Juice dribbled down his chin.

She accidentally dribbled wine onto the rug.

Dribble olive oil over the warm bread before serving.

She dribbled across the basketball court.

He skillfully dribbled the soccer ball towards the goal.

Noun

He wiped a dribble of juice from the corner of the baby's mouth.

She gave the ball a dribble before passing it.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The walkaround tasting will feature unlimited eats, from smash burgers — the trendy pancake-flat kind with cheese dribbling down a latticework of crispy edges — to classically juicy, skyscraper-thick patties, paired with snacks, liquor and desserts, Gonzalez says. —Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026

Rookie of the Year Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg dribbles against Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker in Phoenix. —Tim Rohan, NBC news, 28 Apr. 2026

Noun

From there, two hard dribbles led into a pair of big steps. —Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2026

McCollum took an inbounds pass near the free-throw line and took two dribbles before launching a shot that banked in. —CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

frequentative of drib to dribble

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1589, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

circa 1682, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing dribble

• double dribble

Rhymes for dribble

• dibble
• gribble
• kibble
• nibble
• quibble
• scribble
• sibyl
• sybil

Kids Definition

dribble

1 of 2 verb

drib·​ble ˈdrib-əl 

dribbled; dribbling -(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to fall or flow or let fall in small drops : trickle

2

: drool sense 2

3

: to move forward by tapping, bouncing, or kicking

dribble a basketball

dribble a puck

dribbler

-(ə-)lər 

noun

dribble

2 of 2 noun

1

: a small trickling flow

2

: an act or instance of dribbling a ball or puck