1
as in fleck
a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part
a lizard with specks of white against a green body
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in glimmer
a very small amount
not a speck of explanation to accompany the book's pictures
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in particle
a very small piece
a speck of dust was preventing the laser from reading the disc
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to sprinkle
to mark with small spots especially unevenly
dirt that had specked the windows of the factory for ages
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of speck
Time Staff, Time, 25 Feb. 2026
At the rear of the room, a picture window looks out onto the Irish Sea, with Northern Ireland a small speck in the distance.
—Timothy Latterner, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Feb. 2026
New York Times, 16 Nov. 2019
For all its strengths, though, the series proves a bit of a slog, at times, as the wheels turn along the dusty, blood-specked road to wherever this maze leads.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 19 Apr. 2018
See All Example Sentences for speck
Noun
And record-setting inflation that cost the typical family $34,000 in just a speck of time.
—Time Staff, Time, 25 Feb. 2026
At the rear of the room, a picture window looks out onto the Irish Sea, with Northern Ireland a small speck in the distance.
—Timothy Latterner, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Feb. 2026
Verb
The 656-foot vessel, called the Golden Ray, has been lying since early September off a slice of the Georgia coast specked with resorts and sprawling high-dollar homes.
—New York Times, 16 Nov. 2019
For all its strengths, though, the series proves a bit of a slog, at times, as the wheels turn along the dusty, blood-specked road to wherever this maze leads.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 19 Apr. 2018
See All Example Sentences for speck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speck
Noun
-
Berber carpet Berber is a type of loop pile carpet with flecks of color.—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Using x-ray fluorescence spectrometry, scholars determined that the ancient off-white fluid was composed of calcite, huntite, and miniscule flecks of yellow orpiment, a highly toxic sulfide of arsenic that Egyptians also used in medicine to treat syphilis and malaria.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Yet by the end of Saturday night, there were slight glimmers of optimism for a team that hasn’t had much to cheer for this season.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
15 Mar. 2026
-
There is also a glimmer of hope on the horizon that an infusion of payroll flexibility could come under a new owner — who could be in place sometime in the season’s first month — and that the Padres could add a starting pitcher via trade.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The perhaps ironic primary cause is regulations on international shipping reducing pollutant particles, which reflected sunlight into space.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
12 Mar. 2026
-
These particles move through a continuous space-time and interact via forces.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
From March to May, the hiking trails are sprinkled with vibrant yellow desert marigolds, deep purple lupines, and bright red and orange Indian paintbrush blooms, among other varieties.—
Annie Daly,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The chain has more than a few Charlotte restaurants with spots in Madison Park, Steele Creek and East Charlotte, plus others sprinkled across the metro — Concord, Kannapolis, Fort Mill and Rock Hill (the latter two opened in 2024).—
Tanasia Kenney,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Her zapping turns her entire head of hair — not just a streak — shocking white à la Jean Harlow, and leaves an oddly-appealing black blotch on her cheek.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Its purple black center was surrounded by blotches of varying shades and textures, raised or sunken at places.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The offerings are pure Tennessee, with not a shred of brisket to be found.—
Robert F. Moss,
Southern Living,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Not an ounce of human empathy, not a shred of human decency.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
With a swell of applause and a burst of smoke and explosions, Fuerza closed out the night — an apt ending for a band that isn’t afraid to break the rules a little bit.—
Julyssa Lopez,
Rolling Stone,
14 Mar. 2026
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For scuff marks or sticky buildup, Stein likes to use a slightly stronger vinegar solution or a damp cloth with a tiny bit of dish soap.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Paramount building is dotted with cool, of-the-moment shops, while the Royal Poinciana Plaza continues to anchor the island’s modern luxury scene after its 2017 refresh, drawing new energy each season.—
Skye Sherman,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Soon after its publication, the novel became available in a cheap paperback and was on sale in the newspaper kiosks that dotted downtown Barcelona.—
Colm Tóibín,
The Atlantic,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Speck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speck. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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