sprinkling

noun

sprin·​kling ˈspriŋ-kliŋ 

1

: a limited quantity or amount : modicum

2

: a small quantity falling in scattered drops or particles

3

: a small number distributed at random : scattering

Synonyms of sprinkling

• handful
• couple
• few

Examples of sprinkling in a Sentence

a sprinkling of fans showed up at the airport

just a sprinkling of experience with the computer program

Recent Examples on the Web

Cannes has prided itself on mixing the cream of the arthouse crop with a sprinkling of big studio buzz movies, but the latter are looking very thin on the ground this edition. —Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2026

This dessert speaks for itself, requiring no more than a sprinkling of powdered sugar. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2026

Elote slathered with kewpie mayo, lime, chile, cotija and a sprinkling of furikake. —Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2026

From 2020 to 2022, the Bengals’ free-agent strategy involved one player in the consensus top 20, another in the 20-60 range and a sprinkling of mid-tier bargains. —Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1561, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for sprinkling

• crinkling
• inkling

Kids Definition

sprinkling

noun

sprin·​kling ˈspriŋ-kliŋ 

: a very small number or amount