variants
also dapple
1
as in dotted
marked with spots
a dappled fawn
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in colored
having blotches of two or more colors
a forest that was vibrant with the dappled foliage of autumn
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sprinkled
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 dappled
Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 25 Mar. 2026
This hardy perennial grows in dappled light or full shade.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Feb. 2026
Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2026
Two years after the last fire, burned sections of the 73-acre natural area bear charcoal stumps and scars, but the ground is also dappled in sedges and sunlight.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dappled
Adjective
Look for locations on your property that seem to get plenty of shade (or dappled shade), and lots of moisture.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 25 Mar. 2026
This hardy perennial grows in dappled light or full shade.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
All have green leaves dappled with white, yellow, or pale green.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2026
Two years after the last fire, burned sections of the 73-acre natural area bear charcoal stumps and scars, but the ground is also dappled in sedges and sunlight.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dappled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dappled
Adjective
-
Older homes made of wood, which are more prone to igniting, are dotted throughout.—
Lauren Sommer,
NPR,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Another six dead roaches dotted kitchen area light shields.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Tea service at Le Salon is worth a booking to experience the delights of delicate finger sandwiches, pastel-colored confections, and A-plus people-watching.—
Kate Kassin,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Seconds later, several others run by and a light-colored sedan speeds off.—
Mark Prussin,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, and John Kerry are other beneficiaries of the $84 million that the Mandels have sprinkled to Democratic campaigns over time, according to Federal Election Commission records.—
Gabe Kaminsky,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
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City of Careless Angels is uneven, sprinkled with boilerplate indie signifiers and sometimes juvenile fixations on heartbreak.—
Donald Morrison,
Pitchfork,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In fact, the most colorful man in the room might have been Jackson himself, who had on a jacket in a rich currant shade.—
Elise Taylor,
Vanity Fair,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Film at Lincoln Center, which hosts the fundraising event, annually assembles a colorful cast of past collaborators, maybe future ones, and admirers for this event, like last year pairing Dua Lipa and John Waters with Pedro Almodóvar.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The biscuits, flecked with frilly sprigs of dill, are pulled together with sour cream, giving them tenderness and a mild tang.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Mar. 2026
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Locked in a safe on her desk at Boston University’s Institute for Astrophysical Research is a shard of meteorite flecked with material older than the sun.—
James Dinneen,
Quanta Magazine,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Data from iNaturalist users helps track the migration of invasive species, like the spotted lanternfly.—
David Pogue,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
-
The resulting hybrid has characteristics of both plants but with softer spines than agaves and the spotted patterns of manfreda plants.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
These areas are most productive on sunny days or when the water’s stained.—
Joe Cermele,
Outdoor Life,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Infantino’s time in power has been praised — often by FIFA itself — as a reformist presidency following the scandals and FBI investigations that stained the organization.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The apartment is nicely located but a bit frozen in time with current listing photos showing wall-to-wall brown carpeting, white-marbled bathrooms, and a painting of beach palm trees hanging in the living room.—
Clio Chang,
Curbed,
15 Apr. 2026
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Troupe says the best way to spend a winter day is by sipping local marbled cold brew from Caffé D'arte in Pioneer Square and walking through Occidental Square to admire the holiday lights.—
Scott Bay,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dappled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dappled. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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