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
Dallas News, 9 May 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
Jeanine Barone, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The stage, covered in a crumbling cityscape and backed by a massive screen, sat next to a cross-shaped catwalk on the stadium floor dappled with giant golden rings.
—Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dapple
Noun
While out on walks in Dallas’ Uptown, people often stop Alison Roche to ask about her brown, dapple, floppy-eared dachshund.
—Dallas News, 9 May 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
In fact, tree canopies provide delightful shade allowing the sun to dapple the path.
—Jeanine Barone, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The stage, covered in a crumbling cityscape and backed by a massive screen, sat next to a cross-shaped catwalk on the stadium floor dappled with giant golden rings.
—Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dapple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dapple
Noun
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Nice vanilla bean flecks and round, fatty flavor with only the subtlest hint of coconut.—
Alex Beggs,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
28 Oct. 2025
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And Abrams-Draine still managed to emerge with just a few flecks of soot after getting thrown in the fire last season, picking off Justin Herbert in a loss to the Chargers and establishing himself as a building block in a spot start.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Others, like Havaizinho, were sprinkled with rustic beach huts selling sugarcane juice and beer, along with vendors renting umbrellas and chairs.—
David Amsden,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
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Their twist on candy cane ice cream is refreshing, a little punchy, and sprinkled with peppermint candy for a little festive flair.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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With the Wild getting dominated in the dot in Thursday’s loss, Hynes elected to put Ben Jones in there to center the fourth line.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
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Over 200 dot the country’s Alpine landscape, from no-frills bivouac shelters to sleek, sci-fi-looking lodges.—
Lucy Kehoe,
AFAR Media,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Drone footage shows eight officers approach a motionless Green who appeared slumped over with a large pool of blood staining the driveway.—
Perry Vandell,
AZCentral.com,
25 Oct. 2025
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Foods like coffee, red wine, fruit and vegetable juices, grease and oils, tea, tomato sauce, and spices like turmeric and curry can stain, as well as ink, markers, and some cleaning chemicals.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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An aerial shot of the eastern hideout captures it as a mere speck beneath an expansive tree canopy.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
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The tiny black specks of vanilla pack a surprisingly aromatic punch.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The marbling method, a simple smoosh, pinch, and roll, creates bakery-worthy swirls in every cookie.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Oct. 2025
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Ravn’s prose is striking too, richly marbled with quotation and detail pulled from primary source letters and court documents.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Photos show the Maratus australis spider, which has an intricate pattern of blue and brown blotches edged with bright teal and red-orange stripes.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
4 Nov. 2025
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The one blemish — or ugly blotch — was that crushing 7-2 Champions League defeat against Paris Saint-Germain last week.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Enjoy it raw or lightly steamed with olive oil, salt, and pepper for the most nutrients and best flavor.—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
27 Oct. 2025
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Additionally, analysts will likely pepper management with questions about oral GLP-1 orforglipron, a potential driver of growth next year and beyond.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dapple. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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