variants
also dapple
1
as in dotted
marked with spots
a dappled fawn
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2025
Choose a location with six hours or more of sunshine daily, although dappled afternoon shade is perfect in hot climates.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Oct. 2025
Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025
Dried blood dappled his face, neck and bedsheets.
—Rick Jervis, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dappled
Adjective
Then there’s the beach club area at the stern, with a pool serving as the ceiling that delivers dappled light and a beautiful blue glow to the room below.
—Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2025
Choose a location with six hours or more of sunshine daily, although dappled afternoon shade is perfect in hot climates.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
His skeleton is well preserved, his bones dappled with gooey-looking sediment.
—Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025
Dried blood dappled his face, neck and bedsheets.
—Rick Jervis, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dappled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dappled
Adjective
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Neighboring water molecules interact with one another by way of hydrogen bonds, depicted with dotted lines in this drawing.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
27 Oct. 2025
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This reversible quilt has a hint of floral romance on one side and a more minimalist dotted print on the other.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In a similar vein, Louis Vuitton revived its first wristwatch with a fresh design and new movement, Vacheron Constantin reimagined the Grand Lady Kalla with colored stones, and TAG Heuer gave the Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sports an upgrade with rose gold and a GMT complication.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
31 Oct. 2025
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There was one case that became a major talking point — a student sued her school and the local education board for forcing her to dye her naturally light-colored hair black to comply with school rules that all students have black hair.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Think a more year-round COTA, with a dash more exclusivity sprinkled in.—
Patrick Iversen,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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According to Deadline, Scorsone's eight-episode hiatus will happen consecutively as opposed to other cast members' screen time reductions that are sprinkled throughout the season.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Your Immune System Improves Eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, such as beets, is a great way to support your natural immunity.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
4 Nov. 2025
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SpongeBob is back, as are the colorful critters living in Zootopia.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Among the other standouts are Klimt’s Blooming Meadow (1908)—a sea of green grass and trees flecked with blue, yellow, and pink dabs of wildflowers—and six figurative bronzes by Matisse.—
Julie Belcove,
Robb Report,
26 Oct. 2025
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The first two discs are flecked with revelations.—
Will Hermes,
Rolling Stone,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The famed pastry chef shared a photo of 4-year-old Josephine striking a fierce pose in an animal-print dress, along with spotted ears, paws and shoes to match, in an Instagram post on Saturday, Oct. 18.—
Erin Clements,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
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Every inch of their spotted, streamlined bodies is designed for life on the move, carrying them across entire oceans in search of clouds of plankton and fish eggs.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The costume, which has made waves online, features Fox in a pink suit stained with fake blood, meant to resemble the former first lady shortly after the assassination of her husband.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
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Nelson’s wallpaper is not genuine leather, but features a floral Victorian design that Nelson painted and stained to give the originally white pattern a brownish, leather-like look.—
Lennie Omalza,
Louisville Courier Journal,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Shuttled in on golf carts to a powder pink carpet, models, media and micro-celebrities mingled as staff passed out marbled Jell-O shots and macarons stamped with the VS logo.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
16 Oct. 2025
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This red marbled stone feels like an homage to Paloma Elsesser's spa-like bathroom.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dappled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dappled. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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