as in sprinkling
to mark with small spots especially unevenly
sunlight dappled the canopy of vines over our heads
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of dappling
Rumours break like waves in some nameless river, dappling our sleeves with falsehood.
—
Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
The ballpark’s roof was open, the sun still dappling the downtown Miami skyline beyond left field at the start -- a beautiful tableau.
—Greg Cote
updated March 27, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
In my mind, that always meant at least a plane ride's worth of travel—me in safari gear, sunlight dappling through the canopy, and swinging vines overhead.
—Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2026
Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
The ballpark’s roof was open, the sun still dappling the downtown Miami skyline beyond left field at the start -- a beautiful tableau.
—Greg Cote
updated March 27, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
In my mind, that always meant at least a plane ride's worth of travel—me in safari gear, sunlight dappling through the canopy, and swinging vines overhead.
—Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dappling
Verb
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But organizations are still missing out on a few key steps, including organizing data, creating new workflow processes, and moving beyond merely sprinkling AI on the margins.—
John Kell,
Fortune,
3 June 2026
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And Crawford has been sprinkling in a secret catchphrase no one has caught on to yet.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Start with a clear glitter base, then use a dotting tool to create white daisies with pink and orange centers.—
Rebecca Norris,
InStyle,
8 June 2026
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On her fingertips were little ladybugs dotting her nails, courtesy of nail artist Elle Gerstein.—
Diana Tsui,
Footwear News,
24 May 2026
Verb
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Inside, wear regular work gloves or thin, plastic gloves for staining and refinishing.—
Lew Sichelman,
Miami Herald,
11 June 2026
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Under the microscope, the neuropathologist had seen evidence of C9orf72—there was abnormal p62 staining in Ray’s thalamus and several other brain structures.—
Adeline Goss,
New Yorker,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dappling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dappling. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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