sprinkle

verb

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sprin·kle | \ ˈspriŋ-kəl

sprinkled; sprinkling\ ˈspriŋ-k(ə-)liŋ

Definition of sprinkle

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to scatter in drops or particles

2a : to scatter over

b : to scatter at intervals in or among : dot sprinkled the speech with quips

c : to wet lightly

intransitive verb

1 : to scatter a liquid in fine drops

2 : to rain lightly in scattered drops

sprinkle

noun

Definition of sprinkle (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : the act or an instance of sprinkling especially : a light rain

2 : sprinkling

3 sprinkles plural : small particles of candy used as a topping (as on ice cream) : jimmies

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Examples of sprinkle in a Sentence

Verb He sprinkled water on the plants. I sprinkled grass seed over the soil. She sprinkled the clothes before ironing them. “Is it raining?” “It's just sprinkling a little.” Noun It rained last night, but it was just a sprinkle. She topped the pasta with a sprinkle of parsley.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Just before serving, dust with a little matcha powder if desired, sprinkle a few black sesame seeds over each of the panna cotta, then top with a few raspberries. — CBS News, "The Dish: Chef Amanda Haas shares her signature recipes," 14 Sep. 2019 Lay the banana slices evenly over the crust and sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice. — Daniela Galarza, The Denver Post, "This stunning dessert is everything you love about banana splits, but in pie form," 4 Sep. 2019 Once the needles are damp, sprinkle the flocking onto the tree. — Country Living Staff, Country Living, "Here's How to Flock a Christmas Tree, if You've Always Dreamed of a White Christmas," 29 Aug. 2019 Pour olive oil over and into slits of potatoes (about a tablespoon for each potato); sprinkle with the garlic and oregano, pushing some into the slits. — Jennifer Rude Klett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Wisconsin farmers — and diners — dig potatoes of all types and colors," 15 Aug. 2019 Disney fans can opt to get them as part of a sundae as well — complete with vanilla ice cream, cranberry compote, fall sprinkles and whipped cream, according to Disney Food Blog. — Claudia Harmata, PEOPLE.com, "It's That Time! Pumpkin Spice Beignets Have Returned to Disney World," 14 Aug. 2019 When ready to serve, sprinkle each egg with maldon sea salt and a dash of olive oil. — Sara Mae Albert, Harper's BAZAAR, "How to Plan a Casual Chic Dinner Party," 2 Aug. 2019 Sprinkle in crevices, and for those of you who are building or remodeling, sprinkle inside your walls. — Washington Post, "Hints From Heloise: A drive for school safety," 17 Sep. 2019 The Astros and Red Sox liberally sprinkled starting pitchers throughout their World Series bullpens. — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, "Will the Dodgers replicate closer model the Red Sox and Astros used to beat them?," 14 Sep. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun This recipe leans in the savory direction with a sprinkle of baharat, a spice mix that uses cumin, paprika, nutmeg and cinnamon. — Kari Sonde, Washington Post, "Tahini isn’t just for hummus. Here are 10 recipes to use up that jar.," 12 Aug. 2019 The treats are a yellow cake base studded with pink and purple sprinkles, and topped with a vibrant teal icing. — Hanna Flanagan, PEOPLE.com, "Hostess Unveils New Halloween Treats With 'S'cream Filling'," 11 Sep. 2019 The Chiefs and Browns (5 votes each) lead the way with sprinkles of $100+ unit wagers, followed by the Patriots (3), Rams (3) and Packers (3). — Sportsbookwire Staff, USA TODAY Sportsbook Wire, "Super Bowl LIV - NFL Future Bets: Staff picks and best bets," 5 Sep. 2019 Sure, there's something so photogenic about a simple pink glazed donut with rainbow sprinkles. — Tirion Morris, azcentral, "Move over, Tie Dye Frappucino. These 10 drinks and desserts in metro Phoenix were made for Instagram," 12 July 2019 The cake is six multicolored layers covered with sprinkles. — Christian Burno, Dallas News, "The new cake boss? Baker throws color at the dessert world with 'edible piñatas'," 12 July 2019 Toss in a few torn basil leaves at the last minute and serve with crusty bread and a sprinkle of grated pecorino Romano cheese. — BostonGlobe.com, "large plum tomatoes (about ¾ pound)," 17 Sep. 2019 The new drink starts with Starbucks Cold Brew sweetened with vanilla syrup and topped with pumpkin cream cold foam and a sprinkle of pumpkin spice. — Joey Morona, cleveland.com, "Pumpkin Spice Latte returns to Starbucks, effectively ending summer," 27 Aug. 2019 White Sands Smoothie 1 serving This frothy smoothie of milk and frozen banana blended with coconut, almonds and a sprinkle of nutmeg is based on a favorite from Joni’s in Montauk, Long Island. — Ellie Krieger, The Denver Post, "Bring the beach vibes home with a frosty smoothie that tastes like a milkshake," 25 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sprinkle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.