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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Recent Examples of dabbled
Like Barbie, Ken dabbled in many different careers over the decades.
—
Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Barlow dabbled in gymnastics and soccer in elementary school and picked up running during college to shed weight.
—Miami Herald, 25 Jan. 2026
Millender also dabbled in football growing up, playing running back and safety.
—Olivia Sayer, AJC.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Instead of soccer, Brooklyn dabbled in modeling, making his debut on the cover of Man About Town magazine.
—Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
This isn't the first time Bella has dabbled in the double-braid look.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 20 Jan. 2026
Flood brought curiosity to the awkward misalignments of intimacy, and dabbled in self-implication.
—Laura Snapes, Pitchfork, 16 Jan. 2026
Levi’s also dabbled in wearable technology with Project Jacquard with Google.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 16 Jan. 2026
Finch plans to try to find ways to sneak him onto the court, which could include some time for Reid at the small forward spot, something Minnesota has dabbled with in the past.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 15 Jan. 2026
Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Barlow dabbled in gymnastics and soccer in elementary school and picked up running during college to shed weight.
—Miami Herald, 25 Jan. 2026
Millender also dabbled in football growing up, playing running back and safety.
—Olivia Sayer, AJC.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Instead of soccer, Brooklyn dabbled in modeling, making his debut on the cover of Man About Town magazine.
—Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
This isn't the first time Bella has dabbled in the double-braid look.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 20 Jan. 2026
Flood brought curiosity to the awkward misalignments of intimacy, and dabbled in self-implication.
—Laura Snapes, Pitchfork, 16 Jan. 2026
Levi’s also dabbled in wearable technology with Project Jacquard with Google.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 16 Jan. 2026
Finch plans to try to find ways to sneak him onto the court, which could include some time for Reid at the small forward spot, something Minnesota has dabbled with in the past.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dabbled
Verb
-
Meanwhile, some 1,600 miles away in Abilene, the owner of Seven and One Books, Arlene Kasselman, also has been delighted with the response to the phone outside her store.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2026
-
In the mid-1980s, around the time The Goonies delighted moviegoers with its story of pirate treasure, the 39-year-old Cuban American archaeologist Roger Dooley was deep in a Byzantine Spanish archive, hunting for a treasure ship of his own.—
Julian Sancton,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Lake Murray State Park, Oklahoma While the lake is, of course, the highlight of Lake Murray State Park, there are also campgrounds, beaches, ATV and hiking trails, tennis courts, baseball fields, and an 18-hole golf course to keep visitors entertained.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Jan. 2026
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Earning more than $500 million at the box office and winning five Oscars including Best Picture, Gladiator indeed kept its audience entertained, and holds up on repeat viewings alongside its blockbuster sequel from 2024.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Goldin originally conceived of it as a slideshow timed to songs by The Velvet Underground and Dionne Warwick, played in nightclubs around New York, and eventually, in the Whitney Biennial in 1985.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
25 Jan. 2026
-
The 33-year old native of the Dominican Republic has played his entire 13-year, big league career in Cleveland.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Though some Destiny players are not amused.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Hodge was amused that Yamasaki was prone to seasickness.—
Hannah Goldfield,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dabbled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dabbled. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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