Synonyms of spot

spot 1 of 3

noun

ˈspät 

1

as in patch

a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part

in summer the white coat of the snow leopard is studded with brownish black spots

Synonyms & Similar Words

• patch
• blotch
• speck
• dot
• fleck
• stain
• splotch
• speckle
• smudge
• mottle
• pip
• point
• eyespot
• dapple
• smear
• mole
• mark
• freckle
• splash
• birthmark
• blot
• blob
• spatter
• polka dot
• smutch

2

as in predicament

a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape

we're in a bit of a spot right now with our mortgage payments

Synonyms & Similar Words

• predicament
• pickle
• dilemma
• hole
• corner
• bind
• swamp
• jam
• box
• fix
• difficulty
• rabbit hole
• jackpot
• impasse
• quagmire
• kettle of fish
• sticky wicket
• mire
• plight
• crisis
• soup
• hot water
• rattrap
• node
• trouble
• catch-22
• pinch
• emergency
• scrape
• quandary
• crossroad
• juncture
• halt
• clutch
• strait
• standstill
• deadlock
• exigency
• stalemate
• logjam

3

as in stain

a mark of guilt or disgrace

scandalous conduct that will forever be a spot upon the family name

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stain
• taint
• blot
• stigma
• smudge
• guilt
• brand
• shame
• onus
• slur
• smirch
• disgrace
• discredit
• ignominy
• infamy
• black eye
• dishonor
• reproach
• opprobrium
• disrepute
• odium
• vice
• obloquy
• sin
• corruption
• disesteem
• licentiousness
• immorality
• iniquity
• depravity
• debauchery
• unscrupulousness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• award
• right
• credit
• honor
• purity
• good
• modesty
• chastity
• legitimacy
• integrity
• stainlessness
• honesty
• goodness
• rectitude
• uprightness
• righteousness
• probity
• chasteness
• glory
• fame
• repute
• renown
• scrupulousness
• virtuousness

4

as in splash

a very small amount

had only a spot of stew for dinner, as he wasn't very hungry

Synonyms & Similar Words

• splash
• speck
• glimmer
• shred
• sprinkling
• hint
• touch
• bit
• little
• lick
• trace
• spark
• dab
• particle
• tad
• handful
• shade
• smack
• sliver
• ray
• suspicion
• crumb
• spatter
• streak
• portion
• smell
• ace
• ounce
• bite
• shadow
• fleck
• dram
• pinch
• peanuts
• nip
• minimum
• dash
• drop
• strain
• smidgen
• mite
• scintilla
• snap
• part
• drop in the bucket
• dose
• patch
• scruple
• grain
• taste
• molecule
• section
• dot
• soupçon
• skosh
• driblet
• syllable
• semblance
• nibble
• jot
• mote
• whit
• tittle
• modicum
• vestige
• fragment
• scrap
• atom
• granule
• morsel
• hoot
• scattering
• minim
• flyspeck
• iota
• flake
• chip
• smattering
• splinter
• shard
• clipping
• nubbin
• shot
• paring
• shaving
• shiver
• smatter
• tatter
• smithereens

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• quantity
• deal
• mountain
• bucket
• plenty
• pile
• lot
• barrel
• mass
• loads
• stack
• abundance
• mess
• wealth
• bushel
• raft
• heaps
• bundle
• peck
• volume
• profusion
• wad
• fistful
• reams
• surplus
• excess
• boatload
• gobs
• overflow
• embarrassment
• slab
• scads
• bonanza
• lashings
• oodles
• much
• passel
• potful
• chunk
• overabundance
• lump
• overage
• surfeit
• oversupply
• superabundance
• superfluity
• hunk
• overkill
• overmuch

5

as in location

the area or space occupied by or intended for something

the cat grabbed my spot on the couch the minute I stood up

Synonyms & Similar Words

• location
• place
• venue
• site
• where
• position
• locality
• point
• locus
• locale
• scene
• emplacement
• section
• region
• there
• sector
• precinct
• here

spot

2 of 3

verb

1

as in to sprinkle

to mark with small spots especially unevenly

to give the effect of sunlight on water, the artist spotted the lake in his painting with flecks of gold paint

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sprinkle
• dot
• stain
• blotch
• dye
• pepper
• marble
• speck
• speckle
• fleck
• freckle
• splotch
• shoot
• stripe
• mottle
• dapple
• stipple
• blot
• bar
• streak
• band
• stud
• intersperse
• set
• spatter
• bespatter

2

as in to notice

to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes

I spotted both of them as they tried to sneak out the back door

Synonyms & Similar Words

• notice
• see
• eye
• regard
• sight
• view
• look (at)
• watch
• remark
• note
• catch
• observe
• discern
• distinguish
• perceive
• witness
• spy
• behold
• identify
• espy
• set eyes on
• get a load of
• descry
• lay eyes on
• mark
• pick out
• consider
• attend (to)
• scan
• make out
• inspect
• glimpse
• study
• survey
• scrutinize
• examine
• heed
• glance (at)
• pick up
• mind
• peer (at)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignore
• pass over
• disregard
• miss
• neglect
• overlook
• overpass

3

as in to spray

to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on

the TV networks had spotted reporters all over the state for the election

Synonyms & Similar Words

• spray
• dot
• sprinkle
• pepper
• scatter
• strew
• dust
• sow
• bestrew
• stud
• drizzle
• blanket
• speckle
• fleck
• spatter
• dapple
• stipple
• bespatter

spot

3 of 3

adjective

as in chance

Related Words

• chance
• sporadic
• lucky
• random
• stray
• inadvertent
• odd
• incidental
• accidental
• shotgun
• fortuitous
• irregular
• directionless
• unintentional
• scattered
• unintended
• scattershot
• contingent
• purposeless
• indiscriminate
• unplanned
• casual
• chancy
• unconsidered
• haphazard
• arbitrary
• unsystematic
• aimless
• objectless
• unpremeditated
• desultory
• fluky
• hit-or-miss
• erratic
• disorganized
• disorderly
• slapdash
• helter-skelter
• undirected
• catch-as-catch-can
• undiscriminating
• unselective

Dissimilar Words

• regular
• regular
• systematic
• fixed
• orderly
• stable
• steady
• organized
• constant
• continuous
• even
• established
• set
• arranged
• methodical
• aware
• nonrandom
• systematized
• planned
• conscious
• managed
• deliberate
• ordered
• purposeful
• thoughtful
• willful
• orchestrated

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of spot

Noun

Whether to look the other way for people like me, or to flag us to insure that there were enough spots for those who genuinely needed them. — Ledio Cakaj, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026

Greece's largest island, Crete, takes fourth spot, offering holidaymakers eight hours of daily sunshine, while across the Mediterranean, Malta rounds out the top five—providing warm sea and air temperatures late into the season. — Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Verb

On his second pass attempt, off play action, Smith spotted Mitchell alone near the left sideline against zone coverage and completed a pass for 21 yards. — Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026

Bears have been spotted around Pittsburgh this summer and many have been seen in Stowe, Vermont, the Boston Globe reported. — Mike Snider, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026

Adjective

The appeal is the multi-spot utility and sheer mass. — Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2026

By demanding upfront prices, patients can avoid price gouging, spot wild price variations for the same care, and shop for affordable treatment. — Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2026

Phrases Containing spot

• have a soft spot for
• on the spot
• soft spot