1
: a small spot : speck entry 1
2
: a small round mark: such as
a(1)
: a small point made with a pointed instrument
a dot on the chart marked the ship's position
(2)
: a small round mark used in orthography or punctuation
put a dot over the i
b
: a centered point used as a multiplication sign (as in 6 · 5 = 30)
c(1)
: a point after a note or rest in music indicating augmentation of the time value by one half
(2)
: a point over or under a note indicating that it is to be played staccato
3
: a precise point especially in time
arrived at six on the dot
4
: a short click or buzz forming a letter or part of a letter (as in the Morse code)
5
: a point used to separate components of an address on the Internet
dotted; dotting
1
: to mark with a dot
2
: to intersperse with dots or objects scattered at random
boats dotting the lake
: to make a dot
dotter
noun
Department of Transportation
Synonyms
Examples of dot in a Sentence
Verb
Don't forget to dot the i.
Quaint cottages dot the countryside.
The fields were dotted with wildflowers.
Dot the cream all over your face.
Recent Examples on the Web
Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 17 Apr. 2024
There are solid colors available, like light blue, coral, and lavender, plus floral patterns and swiss dot designs.
—Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 16 Apr. 2024
Her character, Lee, is a skilled photojournalist, and if your mind doesn’t automatically leap to Lee Miller, celebrated for her stunning images of the Second World War, rest assured that Garland’s script is eager to connect the dots.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2024
Made of polyester and elastane, the maxi features feminine details like a swiss dot pattern, a tiered ruffled skirt, and flutter sleeves.
—Lauren Taylor, Southern Living, 6 Apr. 2024
Safari has long been blocking third-party tracking cookies that try to connect the dots on your web activity across multiple sites.
—David Nield, WIRED, 6 Apr. 2024
The dots' spacing and finger-pressure resistance is optimized for Braille readers as well.
—The Indianapolis Star, 4 Apr. 2024
Soft plush dot velboa fabric will keep the baby warm with plenty of legroom for kicking and stretching.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 29 Mar. 2024
The dots refresh for each new image, clattering like the sound of Nerds candies being poured onto a table.
—The Indianapolis Star, 4 Apr. 2024
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 18 Apr. 2024
Its reliance on the wider West goes even deeper: Jordan’s landscape is dotted with American, French and British military bases, and its economy is largely propped up by humanitarian and military aid.
—Matt Bradley, NBC News, 16 Apr. 2024
Her nose is red where the leech’s tiny teeth sank into her skin; her cheeks are dotted with bloody droplets.
—Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
Try this 20-inch faux eucalyptus wreath dotted with white berries.
—Leonora Epstein, Peoplemag, 13 Apr. 2024
The idyllic building is situated on a small island in southern Sweden and surrounded by a cemetery dotted with flowers.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
Some 2,000 of them dot the Southern Oregon coast, but the most spectacular are clustered along the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, a 12-mile stretch of stunning scenery along Highway 101.
—Jackie Burrell, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
Empty lots and rice silos once dotted West Sacramento’s curving riverbank overlooking California’s capital city.
—Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 4 Apr. 2024
There wasn’t much to distinguish it from the dozens of others dotting this vast bay.
—Rafael Vilela, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2024
Noun
In Grants Pass, that has meant tents, tarps and other belongings dot parks while public benches and picnic tables are often used for sleeping.
—Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 17 Apr. 2024
There are solid colors available, like light blue, coral, and lavender, plus floral patterns and swiss dot designs.
—Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 16 Apr. 2024
Her character, Lee, is a skilled photojournalist, and if your mind doesn’t automatically leap to Lee Miller, celebrated for her stunning images of the Second World War, rest assured that Garland’s script is eager to connect the dots.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2024
Made of polyester and elastane, the maxi features feminine details like a swiss dot pattern, a tiered ruffled skirt, and flutter sleeves.
—Lauren Taylor, Southern Living, 6 Apr. 2024
Safari has long been blocking third-party tracking cookies that try to connect the dots on your web activity across multiple sites.
—David Nield, WIRED, 6 Apr. 2024
The dots' spacing and finger-pressure resistance is optimized for Braille readers as well.
—The Indianapolis Star, 4 Apr. 2024
Soft plush dot velboa fabric will keep the baby warm with plenty of legroom for kicking and stretching.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 29 Mar. 2024
The dots refresh for each new image, clattering like the sound of Nerds candies being poured onto a table.
—The Indianapolis Star, 4 Apr. 2024
Verb
For perspective, plants first began to dot our planet the last time this happened.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 18 Apr. 2024
Its reliance on the wider West goes even deeper: Jordan’s landscape is dotted with American, French and British military bases, and its economy is largely propped up by humanitarian and military aid.
—Matt Bradley, NBC News, 16 Apr. 2024
Her nose is red where the leech’s tiny teeth sank into her skin; her cheeks are dotted with bloody droplets.
—Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
Try this 20-inch faux eucalyptus wreath dotted with white berries.
—Leonora Epstein, Peoplemag, 13 Apr. 2024
The idyllic building is situated on a small island in southern Sweden and surrounded by a cemetery dotted with flowers.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
Some 2,000 of them dot the Southern Oregon coast, but the most spectacular are clustered along the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, a 12-mile stretch of stunning scenery along Highway 101.
—Jackie Burrell, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
Empty lots and rice silos once dotted West Sacramento’s curving riverbank overlooking California’s capital city.
—Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 4 Apr. 2024
There wasn’t much to distinguish it from the dozens of others dotting this vast bay.
—Rafael Vilela, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dot.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to dot
Dictionary Entries Near dot
Cite this Entry
“Dot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dot. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dot
1 of 2 noun1
: a small spot : speck
2
: a small round mark made with or as if with a pen: as
a
: a point after a note or rest in music indicating increase of the time value by one half
b
: a centered dot · used as a sign of multiplication
3
: an exact point in time or space
arrived at six on the dot
4
: a short click or buzz forming a letter or part of a letter (as in the Morse code)
dot
2 of 2 verb
dotted; dotting
1
: to mark with a dot
dot an "i"
2
: to cover with or as if with dots
green buds dotted the branches
dotter
noun
Medical Definition
dot
noun
: a small spot or speck see maurer's dots, schuffner's dots
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