as in flecks
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 sprinkles
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 dapples
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
Calling on a Rolodex of guest stars (Caroline Polachek, Lorde, Daniel Caesar), Hynes dapples his scenes in golden lo-fi.
—Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2025
Verb
The 155 guest rooms and suites, freshened up since their rock and roll days, have wood floors with the Hotel Chelsea monogram now inlaid; the sun dapples through ivory eyelet fabric on the windows; and the bathrooms are classically done with light and dark grey marble accentuated by bronze details.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
Calling on a Rolodex of guest stars (Caroline Polachek, Lorde, Daniel Caesar), Hynes dapples his scenes in golden lo-fi.
—Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dapples
Noun
-
That, plus distinct green (herbs) and black (pepper) flecks, made this contender feel higher-end, inspiring us to declare Trader Joe’s the best ranch dressing overall.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
11 Feb. 2026
-
As Dracula, Jones is giddy and joyous with flecks of depravity bursting through as the plot expands to include his ethereal bond with Harker’s fiancée, Mina Murray (also Bleu).—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Much like Knives Out, the movie takes a much more lighthearted approach and sprinkles humor throughout.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
15 Dec. 2025
-
The shareable treat features Galactic Brownie ice cream, fudge drizzle, M&Ms candies, and Halloween sprinkles atop a double fudge brownie crust.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Tiny beads of blood had seeped out and dried into tiny specks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Also known as sunspots, solar lentigines, or liver spots, age spots are additional specks and bits of pigment caused by excessive sun exposure.—
Essence,
Essence,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Barnett dots up Knight for a 57-yard catch-and-run.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Rather than the stiff alien chitchat that dots his own screenplays, the characters in The Favourite trade the witty, venomous bon mots of The Great creator Tony McNamara.—
A.A. Dowd,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Its purple black center was surrounded by blotches of varying shades and textures, raised or sunken at places.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Feb. 2026
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These blotches are fairly plant friendly and produce what is known as algal leaf spot.—
Brian Bell,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This mixture attacks stains a bit stronger than the water solution.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
11 Jan. 2026
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Season with salt and lots of pepper and bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking often, until the turmeric stains the mixture a wonderful golden color and the liquid starts to steam, about 3 minutes.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Intended as a complete coating, the layers usually fragment into inhomogeneous patches during electrode processing, thereby affecting battery performance.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
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Many Americans came to depend on the subsidies, which were simply patches over the gaps in a health care system that may feel duct-taped together, and not really working for patients, providers or insurers.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For the first time, Anthropic spent millions of dollars on several satiric Super Bowl spots.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
9 Feb. 2026
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If a camera spots a dog that resembles the missing pet, the pet owner is alerted to a potential match.—
Kelsey Monstrola,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dapples.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dapples. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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