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
Relevance
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
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 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
Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025
That first day on the Northwest Passage is far and away the most colorful, the tundra dappled with the autumn colors and shore excursions to view the two-billion-year-old stromatolites at Port Epworth, an area nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status.
—Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
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
Venturing so close to the splattering surf that her tight-fitting jeans are dappled with wet.
—Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025
That first day on the Northwest Passage is far and away the most colorful, the tundra dappled with the autumn colors and shore excursions to view the two-billion-year-old stromatolites at Port Epworth, an area nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status.
—Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dapple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dapple
Noun
-
This nude lipstick shade has just a touch of warmth to it, plus gold flecks that catch the light for fuller-looking lips.—
Claire Sullivan,
Footwear News,
6 May 2025
-
For all his flaws, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s willingness to speak openly about autism as a public health concern led some of us to find flecks of hope in his arrival as secretary of health and human services.—
Mark Kendall,
Mercury News,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The American Salad Book, written by Maximilian De Loup, and published in 1899, includes a salad of fresh pears, peeled and sliced, sprinkled with sugar, drizzled with a maraschino or ginger syrup and served with cream.—
Anne Byrn,
Southern Living,
9 May 2025
-
Only a handful of headstones are sprinkled throughout the 1-acre tract at the front of Five Points Park near Johnson C. Smith University.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
8 May 2025
Noun
-
The Naugatuck train station is a small plexiglass box with a single bench, a lone dot in the expanse of the concrete parking lot, just across from the loading dock of a post office.—
Ginny Monk,
Hartford Courant,
10 May 2025
-
The black dot on your iPhone after upgrading to iOS 18.4 is not a bug at all.—
Kate O'Flaherty,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
Verb
-
Water can stain or fade many silk fabrics, leaving a permanent mark if it isn't taken care of quickly.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
10 May 2025
-
Tuesday’s attack – during which men were singled out and gunned down from close range, according to survivors’ testimony – was the latest in a list of bloody incidents to stain the region.—
Aishwarya S Iyer,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Within the span of a few days, an innocuous speck can turn a loaf of bread from prime sandwich material into a hideous mass of blue-green fuzz—an appetite-killing sight if ever there was one.—
Caroline Tien,
SELF,
1 May 2025
-
The dark speck near the bottom at the end of the line is Curiosity.—
Amanda Kooser,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Dunk them into a water marbling bath, then paint the tops metallic and add a satin bow to hang them.—
Amy Panos,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
This fungal disease causes yellow blotches on pumpkins, tomato leaves, squash and cucumbers.—
Clarence Schmidt,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Apr. 2025
-
Photos depict a heartbreaking sight, with Hector’s rib cage protruding through his weakened body as red blotches line his ivory and brown coat.—
TJ Macias,
Miami Herald,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Despite peppering Providence goaltender Michael DiPietro with 40 shots while surrendering just 19, the Checkers fell 3-2 in Game 3 of their AHL Atlantic Division semifinal series.—
Colin Cerniglia,
Charlotte Observer,
8 May 2025
-
Khosrowshahi defended the policy changes against feisty employees who peppered him with questions and criticism at the company meeting and on Uber’s internal forum, according to audio and correspondence obtained by CNBC.—
Jennifer Elias,
CNBC,
6 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dapple. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share