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
Miami Herald, 20 May 2026
The lifelong friends paired up with director Louis Malle after playwright Gregory’s stint in Europe, staging experimental theater and dabbling in New Age communities (and near-death experiences).
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 11 May 2026
Throughout her childhood and into high school, Connors loved dabbling in songwriting, often trying her hand at songs about friendship and, later, her tumultuous high school breakup.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
For now, there are no other concrete details about the follow-up to 2025’s Phantom Island, which found Gizzard dabbling in heavy orchestration for the first time.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dabbling
Verb
After dabbling in musical theater at Florida Atlantic University, film eventually became his calling.
—Miami Herald, 20 May 2026
The lifelong friends paired up with director Louis Malle after playwright Gregory’s stint in Europe, staging experimental theater and dabbling in New Age communities (and near-death experiences).
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 11 May 2026
Throughout her childhood and into high school, Connors loved dabbling in songwriting, often trying her hand at songs about friendship and, later, her tumultuous high school breakup.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
For now, there are no other concrete details about the follow-up to 2025’s Phantom Island, which found Gizzard dabbling in heavy orchestration for the first time.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dabbling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dabbling
Adjective
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Watching teams and players decide when to challenge and when not to has been fun, and keeping track of who’s good at it has been entertaining, as well.—
Jim Bowden,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
Scenes of entertaining brutality and entertaining inspiration are placed directly next to scenes with characters and situations that dissipate the pleasure of what came before.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Iran responded in the 64th minute with Rezaeian’s cross headed home by Mohammad Mohebi, tying the score and delighting fans.—
Iliana Limón Romero,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
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Spend the day paddling the spring-fed river, cooling off with a swim, or embracing the nostalgia of a place that’s been delighting visitors since the 1940s.—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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Alongside Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley and his best friend, Shaggy Rogers, Scooby spent decades unmasking supposedly supernatural villains while winning over generations of fans with his goofy charm, insatiable appetite and signature catchphrases.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
14 June 2026
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All well and good—even if the log-line here may remind some of you of this goofy scene from the Sex and the City movie.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Dallas Stadium’s long-term grass future Once engineers figured out that drainage was a major problem in sustaining quality grass indoors, putting down a playing surface for a football, futbol or a soccer game wasn’t that hard.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 June 2026
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Even playing in the large San Francisco market and increasing payroll from $175 million in 2024 to $210 million in 2026.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
Watching teams and players decide when to challenge and when not to has been fun, and keeping track of who’s good at it has been entertaining, as well.—
Jim Bowden,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
That was a fun one, with both teams staying aggressive throughout the match.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 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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Are peaches now the perfect example of how pop culture, politics, and perfume merge into something that feels frivolous at first but reveals more about our cultural mindset and mood beyond the initial spritz?—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
19 June 2026
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Fong described it as an affordability measure, saying frivolous lawsuits are driving up fares for riders.—
Lauren Chapman,
Sacbee.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
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But that still left the less-than-trifling matter of the second tier’s title to settle, as the teams were locked together on 97 points with one game still to play.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Dabbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dabbling. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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