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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as in entertaining
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dabbling
Samantha Allen, Them., 7 Oct. 2025
Still, Donaldson hasn’t shied away from dabbling in the technology.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025
After briefly dabbling in broadcasting, Battier went on to enjoy a successful career in business.
—Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
After all, owning low-cost index funds should under normal circumstances be far preferable to dabbling in individual stocks (88% of professional fund managers underperformed the S&P 500 index over the past 15 years).
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dabbling
Adjective
This is a film that refuses to be fenced in, dabbling in the undead, the magical, and, perhaps most importantly, the sapphic.
—Samantha Allen, Them., 7 Oct. 2025
Still, Donaldson hasn’t shied away from dabbling in the technology.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025
After briefly dabbling in broadcasting, Battier went on to enjoy a successful career in business.
—Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
After all, owning low-cost index funds should under normal circumstances be far preferable to dabbling in individual stocks (88% of professional fund managers underperformed the S&P 500 index over the past 15 years).
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dabbling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dabbling
Verb
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Gen Alpha’s latest viral catchphrase is baffling adults and delighting kids across the country.—
Kimberly Richardson,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 2025
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The video-sharing phenomenon has captivated billions, upending old ways of doing things, generating vast revenues, and delighting people around the world.—
Merrill Fabry,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The actress, best known for her campy alter ego Elvira, shares a sinfully smart sweet from her new entertaining guide Elvira’s Cookbook From Hell.—
Sabrina Weiss,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
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Moreover, these are shows created and hosted and performed by people who are professionally interesting, captivating, entertaining, charming, and watchable.—
David Zucker,
Deadline,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Despite playing before halftime, Scheierman and Walsh were not put back on the court again until the final seconds.—
Jay King,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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Investigators pointed to a March 23, 2023, game involving Rozier, then playing for the Charlotte Hornets.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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As Buffy’s bafoonish brother, Dave Sheridan played an unlikely killer (though Doofy ends up being far less goofy than originally expected).—
Skyler Trepel,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Oct. 2025
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The accompanying video, directed by Charlotte Rutherford, fittingly harkens back to videos of the same era, as Puth embarks on a goofy adventure through a pre-digital world filled with charming claymation figurines and old-school stop motion effects.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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As in Robinson’s other works, what elevates them from amusing to sublime is the way they’re performed, often by unfamiliar but wonderfully offbeat character actors — through overly broad smiles, wild-eyed smirks, strange pronunciations.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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There are seven fun colors to choose from, including bright orange, black and a dark bronze for those who prefer neutral colors.—
Christopher Murray
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
22 Oct. 2025
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This is a fun feature that Chiefs fans will like.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about.—
Ashlee Conour,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The Fix Our Forests Act will help to unleash the conservation prowess of ranchers by limiting frivolous litigation and streamlining government processes to reduce fuel loads on the landscape at a much faster pace.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
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Ellis advises parents that even if teens make a few purchases that seem frivolous or foolish, instilling good financial habits is what’s most important.—
Yolande Clark-Jackson,
Parents,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dabbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dabbling. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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