dabbled

verb

past tense of dabble
as in delighted
to take part in an activity in a superficial way She dabbled in drawing and painting but sculpture was her favorite medium.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dabbled Paine, who works in technology by day — and intends to keep that career — has dabbled in winemaking for many years during his world military travels. — Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 24 Aug. 2026 The unit also dabbled in artificial intelligence, which Hegseth has been pushing, and designing drones resistant to jamming. — ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026 After years of being a defensive specialist who dabbled in being a playmaker, rebounder and opportunistic scorer, the 29-year-old has emerged as a bonafide bucket-getter for a team with title aspirations in just its second season of existence. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026 Cassie, on the other hand, has dabbled in glam makeup and is always trying new things to get male attention. — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026 The app has also dabbled in other games including word games, quizzes and a Wheel of Fortune title. — Katie Campione, Deadline, 10 Aug. 2026 The couple dabbled in private catering and omakase experiences across Dallas and Fort Worth. — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2026 Henry is a musician and has dabbled in acting, including roles on White House Plumbers and Dinner with the Parents, while Charlie is an actor who’s appeared on Single Drunk Female, The Sex Lives of College Girls and The White Lotus. — Alexandra Schonfeld, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026 Arteta has dabbled with two-man strike partnerships, but that has never been his go-to setup. — Art De Roché, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dabbled
  1. delighted
  2. entertained
  3. played
  4. amused
  5. trifled
Verb
  • She was delighted by the story and assured me that had Bernard seen Eddie decapitate his work for a laugh, he would have been doubled over alongside my father.
    — Jesse McLaren, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
  • That opening-day land in Disney’s Animal Kingdom delighted families for 28 years, but officially closed in February 2026 to make way for an entirely new Tropical Americas land.
    — Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of delighted
Verb
  • Yes; families are clearly the property's sweet spot, thanks to extensive kids programming, multiple pools, and a schedule of activities that keeps younger travelers entertained from morning until night.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Borden entertained O’Neil and other actors at her Maplecroft mansion in Fall River.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of entertained
Verb
  • Richard Heathcote/Getty Images The 25-year-old was often rotated and played only 2,623 minutes across Ligue 1 and the Champions League but still managed 18 goals and 10 assists.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Sabalenka held and then played one of her best games of the match, breaking at love to tie it at 4-all.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of played
Verb
  • Horgan ended up incorporating some of those videos—AI slop of dogs blowing up houses with laser beam eyes, for instance—which amused Murphy.
    — Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Students were especially amused that AI had John Singer, who acts as a hub connecting all the other characters, speaking on a variety of subjects.
    — Billy J. Stratton, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of amused
Verb
  • Meek lives with her dad, Smooch (Will Cobbs), a former Black Panther who now runs a roller rink, and her not-to-be-trifled-with grandma, Puddin (Lizan Mitchell).
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
Definition of trifled

Browse Nearby Words

dabble
dabbled
dabbler
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Cite this Entry

“Dabbled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dabbled. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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