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
Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 24 May 2025
Her maroon nails and gold Oura ring gleam in the dappled sunlight.
—Avery Stone, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
Allegheny spurge thrives in dappled shade under large trees and tolerates heavy shade.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 19 June 2025
Goldfish plants are grown as houseplants in most of the country, but in warm climates, such as USDA zones 10 and 11 (find your zone here), they can be grown outside on a porch or patio in a dappled shade area.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dappled
Adjective
One favorite is Austen’s dreamy image of a group of men and women lounging in the woods by a lake in the summer of 1888; dappled sunlight gives the image echoes of Monet.
—Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 24 May 2025
Her maroon nails and gold Oura ring gleam in the dappled sunlight.
—Avery Stone, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
Allegheny spurge thrives in dappled shade under large trees and tolerates heavy shade.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 19 June 2025
Goldfish plants are grown as houseplants in most of the country, but in warm climates, such as USDA zones 10 and 11 (find your zone here), they can be grown outside on a porch or patio in a dappled shade area.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dappled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dappled
Adjective
-
The men’s fedora, known as the Foreman, is hand-blocked from molasses metallic flecked straw braid.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
7 Apr. 2025
-
The dashboard is swathed in a flecked, mélange-style fabric that is based on a traditional Japanese hand-weaving technique called Nishijin-ori.—
Mara Balagtas McIlwrath,
Car and Driver,
1 June 2023
Adjective
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The 13-minute show featured over 250 drones creating colorful animations in the sky over Park Avenue in downtown San Jose.—
Sal Pizarro,
Mercury News,
13 Aug. 2025
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The black chord piece featured six gold fish — with various colorful gems as eyes — as well as a small jade-colored fish.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The whole rug needs to get wet or colors in the fiber could migrate and result in a blotched look.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2025
-
Its leaves are deciduous and sometimes white-blotched.—
Howard Garrett,
Dallas News,
16 Aug. 2021
Adjective
-
Pearly, marbled, galaxy, and smoky nail art give it a mystical aura.—
Andrea Carbajal,
Glamour,
13 Aug. 2025
-
The geckos display a brown-gray coloring with some having dark bands or marbled patterns.—
Real-Time News team,
Miami Herald,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dappled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dappled. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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