as in entertaining
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as in delighting
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 dabbling
Senior Wine Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Feb. 2026
His father was a wheeler-dealer who lived by quick wits and the sweat of his brow, dabbling in bootlegged sake, swine farming, loan sharking, and later pachinko parlors—Japan’s ubiquitous low-stakes gambling game of clattering steel ball bearings.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 24 Feb. 2026
The global market capitalization of all coins has shed more than $2 trillion in that time, and fewer and fewer traders are dabbling in meme coins and derivatives.
—Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
Nothing says organic grassroots legitimacy like billionaires dabbling in psychographic modeling.
—Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dabbling
Verb
In a break from its hearty-reds persona, Ridge is also dabbling in lighter reds now, too — Valdiguié and, as of the 2025 harvest, Gamay.
—Senior Wine Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Feb. 2026
His father was a wheeler-dealer who lived by quick wits and the sweat of his brow, dabbling in bootlegged sake, swine farming, loan sharking, and later pachinko parlors—Japan’s ubiquitous low-stakes gambling game of clattering steel ball bearings.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 24 Feb. 2026
The global market capitalization of all coins has shed more than $2 trillion in that time, and fewer and fewer traders are dabbling in meme coins and derivatives.
—Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
Nothing says organic grassroots legitimacy like billionaires dabbling in psychographic modeling.
—Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dabbling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dabbling
Adjective
-
The Bruins have their signature comeback victory of this entertaining 2025-26 season.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Trump’s speech was at times entertaining, rambling, repetitive, and combative.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The ball circled the rim twice before dropping on Friday night, delighting Duke and its fans and crushing LSU.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
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Cabrera allowed one hit and walked one in his Chicago debut, delighting the crowd of 36,702 on a picturesque night at Wrigley Field.—
CBS Chicago Team,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Six women in motorcycle jackets saunter onto the stage at the Coronado Historical Association, dancing to a goofy opening number.—
Barbara Bry,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Mar. 2026
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Nicolas Winding Refn’s second collaboration with Gosling could have been goofy as hell.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Cubs went from playing in 100-plus degree weather for over a week in Arizona to wind chills in the upper 20s on Wednesday afternoon at Wrigley Field in their 6-2 win over the Angels.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
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These are the public spaces that guests mill about in—sipping a berry cooler at the long bar, enjoying a glass of malbec and a read by the stove, or playing monopoly at the communal table.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Upstairs, Riva Terrace is a super-fun warm-weather spot for Italian small plates and progressive cocktails like First Light (a pineapple-run creation infused with ginger and ginseng) overlooking the outdoor pool and the office buildings of downtown.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
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Cheering on your favorite sports team while watching games from the couch is fun.—
Catherine Garcia,
TheWeek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The podcast added its own layer of lighthearted commentary, signaling that even those closest to the Kelce family found the coverage amusing rather than newsworthy.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
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The podcast, which has become a cultural touchstone in its own right, signaled that even those closest to the Kelce family found the coverage amusing rather than newsworthy.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The title song was appropriately fun and frivolous for a movie that, among other things, featured Porky Pig dunking the basketball.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
20 Mar. 2026
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The kennel club responded that it’s committed to canine health and called the suit frivolous.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The rise may seem trifling, but staffers work long hours, and a caffeine budget is a necessity.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Feb. 2026
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The health factor is no trifling qualifier for a player who has missed time with shoulder and oblique injuries, in addition to that unfortunate incident with his pelvic floor.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dabbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dabbling. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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