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dabbling 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of dabblingnext
as in entertaining

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dabbling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of dabble
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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Dissimilar Words

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 dabbling
Verb
Now, true art therapy is more than dabbling in painting or pottery. — Stephanie Vermillion, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026 Go for a classic triangle-eye grinning gourd, but also consider dabbling in something a little different. — Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 16 Sep. 2026 That’s not to say there isn’t opportunity — Netflix and Amazon spent about $40 billion combined on video and music content last year — but the degree of difficulty, especially for the sports stars dabbling in unfamiliar territory, has intensified. — Justin Birnbaum, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026 Savchenko has been actively pursuing opportunities outside of dancing and is dabbling with a career in acting. — Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 Waffle House, the iconic, 24-hour Southern diner, is dabbling in another comfort food — the beloved taco. — Amy Wenk, AJC.com, 20 Aug. 2026 Brown is a creative and curious cook, and is constantly dabbling in cultural influences to keep things fresh. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026 Thomas was first brought on as somewhat of an amateur photographer to take pictures of Julia’s outfits, but soon the pair were dabbling in affiliate revenue spaces. — Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026 Nature lovers shouldn’t miss taking a dip in Lake Saimaa, walking through the forest to pick berries and mushrooms, going on a seal tour to spot the endangered Saimaa ringed seal, or dabbling in canoeing, cycling, hiking, and fishing. — Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 16 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dabbling
  1. entertaining
  2. delighting
  3. goofy
  4. playing
  5. fun
  6. amusing
  7. frivolous
  8. trifling
Adjective
  • What stays with the audience are heavy-handed moral lessons, more than an entertaining couple of hours in the cinema.
    — Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Outside, the wraparound patio offers plenty of space for lounging or entertaining.
    — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of entertaining
Verb
  • Here, misfits are welcome, and bric-a-brac is part of the appeal; the wonderfully bizarre name and devil-may-care attitude have been confusing (and delighting) first-timers for more than 70 years.
    — Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2026
  • It’s been a little over a year since San Jose said farewell to Sophia, the 21-year-old jaguar who had been at the San Jose zoo for nearly her entire life, delighting millions of guests.
    — Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of delighting
Adjective
  • The only player who can match Mbappé for talent is Haaland who, unlike Mbappé, has a goofy, accessible and affable persona online.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • But his firmly comedic approach, primarily filtered through goofy ironic commentary in the tradition of Monty Python, makes the specificity of his survey go down smoothly.
    — Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of goofy
Verb
  • Gilbert was raised in Coral Springs, Florida, playing in several bands before forming New Found Glory in 1997 with Jordan Pundik, Steve Klein, Ian Grushka and Joe Marino, who was quickly replaced by Cyrus Bolooki.
    — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Iamaleava looked much more comfortable and confident in the pocket, despite playing through multiple injuries.
    — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of playing
Adjective
  • In a city saturated with homogeneous brunches, El Born’s is a fun option to try something different.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Sadiq represents the hope for something more on offense, something creative — something fun.
    — Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of fun
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of amusing
Adjective
  • Movies The world of fashion is often thought of as frivolous—more spangles than substance, more commerce than art.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Does the ingredient list look promising, based on our collective decades spent interviewing chemists about the difference between capable ingredients and frivolous ones?
    — Elizabeth Siegel, Allure, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of frivolous
Verb
  • In the mid-19th century, the question was of trifling interest to mapmakers, who had far more than four colors at their disposal and saw no particular reason to restrict their palette.
    — Gregory Barber, Quanta Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of trifling

Browse Nearby Words

dabbles
dabbling
dab hand
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Cite this Entry

“Dabbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dabbling. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dabbling

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dabbling

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