as in fleck
a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part
the clouds threw dapples of shadow over the eerily quiet street
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to sprinkle
to mark with small spots especially unevenly
sunlight dappled the canopy of vines over our heads
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dapple
Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 17 Nov. 2022
Piglet is a Chihuahua-dachshund mix, with a genetic condition called double dapple that causes eyesight and hearing difficulties.
—Susan Dunne, courant.com, 29 Jan. 2022
Brad Japhe, Travel + Leisure, 22 Jan. 2025
The subtlest animation looks the best, especially when sunlight dapples upon fur or felines flex their claws to assert power.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for dapple
Noun
Gleaming spots caused by methane ice clouds in the planet's atmosphere dapple its lower half.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 17 Nov. 2022
Piglet is a Chihuahua-dachshund mix, with a genetic condition called double dapple that causes eyesight and hearing difficulties.
—Susan Dunne, courant.com, 29 Jan. 2022
Verb
It’s lined with shops and cafes, but Pimlico Road is also dappled with the most delightful design, commercial galleries, and furniture stores in the city, all of which are worth exploring for an afternoon.
—Brad Japhe, Travel + Leisure, 22 Jan. 2025
The subtlest animation looks the best, especially when sunlight dapples upon fur or felines flex their claws to assert power.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for dapple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dapple
Noun
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For me, there’s nothing more disappointing in a carrot cake than one that is light-colored and airy like, well, cake with flecks of carrots in it.—
Carolynn Carreño,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2025
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Plus, because of the wet look the pair have struck on, her color looks darker, too—interspersed with golden flecks and darker, acorn tones.—
Morgan Fargo,
Vogue,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Rosemary bonded with Kennedy’s larger-than-life second wife, Eleanora, who was almost a decade younger than Rosemary, but acted as her fairy godmother, sprinkling money and sisterly advice.—
Susannah Cahalan,
Rolling Stone,
17 Apr. 2025
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Rainbow and trans flags could be seen sprinkled throughout the crowd, along with a dozen or so Moms for Liberty shirts.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Arsenal pressed them into corners, and too often all three of PSG’s central midfielders (yellow dots) were in deep positions on the same line.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
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But this reunion catalyzes their desire to connect the dots that constitute their parallel lives.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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With a yellow rubber glove on her right hand, Heintzelman picks up her finished creations and puts them, one by one, back into egg cartons, with the toilet bowl prominently stained in the background.—
Brian Anthony Hernandez,
People.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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If Bonhoeffer’s example is used to justify more far-right Christian violence in America, that would be another tragedy — and a cruel irony that would stain the legacy of a man who gave up everything to confront a tyrant.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
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With five stores and a small online presence, Whim is just a speck in the vast retail universe.—
Ken Belson,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2025
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Having very high levels of fluoride can result in some erosion of tooth enamel, which can predispose people to tooth staining and can cause little white specks on the teeth, says Oller.—
Sherri Gordon, CLC,
Parents,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
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There’s a nice mix of experience and youth marbled through the lineup, with Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers leading the offence.—
Allan Mitchell,
The Athletic,
8 Jan. 2025
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The score is based on the amount of marbling in the meat.—
Reia Li,
The Arizona Republic,
10 Dec. 2024
Noun
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But this season, the one with the 4-15-0 blotch on the calendar from late November to early January, there’s no way to feel OK about Sunday.—
Arthur Staple,
The Athletic,
17 Mar. 2025
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The fish have white faces with a black blotch in front of the eyes, according to the study.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Without prior knowledge to Fatal Fury’s roster or storyline, many of the characters can seem somewhat stock — there’s a couple of tough guys with various fighting styles and cool jackets, and some cartoonishly buxom female fighters peppered in for some old school gooner bait.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
21 Apr. 2025
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Part of what makes the North Carolina mountains unique is the people who pepper the area with creativity and hospitality throughout their beloved mountain hamlets.—
Jennifer Prince,
Southern Living,
20 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dapple. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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