as in flecks
a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part
there was just a dot on the tablecloth where the food had spattered
Synonyms & Similar Words
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1
2
as in sprinkles
to mark with small spots especially unevenly
the practice of some chefs of positioning a small portion of food in the center and dotting the rest of the plate with sauce
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dots
Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 3 Apr. 2026
Miller’s plays compel theatergoers to connect the dots not only between the past and the present but also between the political and the personal.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Third-party measurement helps connect the dots between online engagement and real-world results.
—Partner Content, Variety, 1 Apr. 2026
Mumbai, India — Naveena Vanamala sits very still as her makeup artist leans in close, carefully pressing tiny white dots of pigment in an arc above her brows on the most important day of her life.
—Ayushi Shah, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026
Dab a few dots along the face for a fresh, natural finish suitable for daytime, or layer on a bit more for full-coverage great for a party or photo moment.
—Vogue, 31 Mar. 2026
Carson then takes concealer and dabs a few dots beneath her eyes before grabbing her beauty sponge to blend it into the skin.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026
No one wants to look at the ceiling or wall and see icky brown or black dots covering the area.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 31 Mar. 2026
The application required users to scan or take photos of their ID cards and take pictures of themselves by connecting dots using head or eye movements, which failed to provide equal access, the DOJ wrote.
—Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice, 26 Mar. 2026
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
The $3,211 per month maintenance fees cover a part-time doorman and a fitness studio, while the location provides easy access to Madison Square Park plus all the shopping and dining that dots the area.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
More importantly, the detector works continuously and is reset as the electron moves in and out of the dots.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 3 Apr. 2026
Miller’s plays compel theatergoers to connect the dots not only between the past and the present but also between the political and the personal.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Third-party measurement helps connect the dots between online engagement and real-world results.
—Partner Content, Variety, 1 Apr. 2026
Mumbai, India — Naveena Vanamala sits very still as her makeup artist leans in close, carefully pressing tiny white dots of pigment in an arc above her brows on the most important day of her life.
—Ayushi Shah, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026
Dab a few dots along the face for a fresh, natural finish suitable for daytime, or layer on a bit more for full-coverage great for a party or photo moment.
—Vogue, 31 Mar. 2026
Carson then takes concealer and dabs a few dots beneath her eyes before grabbing her beauty sponge to blend it into the skin.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026
No one wants to look at the ceiling or wall and see icky brown or black dots covering the area.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 31 Mar. 2026
The application required users to scan or take photos of their ID cards and take pictures of themselves by connecting dots using head or eye movements, which failed to provide equal access, the DOJ wrote.
—Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice, 26 Mar. 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
The $3,211 per month maintenance fees cover a part-time doorman and a fitness studio, while the location provides easy access to Madison Square Park plus all the shopping and dining that dots the area.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 22 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dots
Noun
-
Berber carpet Berber is a type of loop pile carpet with flecks of color.—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Using x-ray fluorescence spectrometry, scholars determined that the ancient off-white fluid was composed of calcite, huntite, and miniscule flecks of yellow orpiment, a highly toxic sulfide of arsenic that Egyptians also used in medicine to treat syphilis and malaria.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When it is finished, maybe a year from now, Bayfront Park will be the city’s front yard, a gathering place to celebrate culture and be dazzled by technology -- laser beams that shoot into the evening sky and a fountain that sprays 60 feet high.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Vicks Sinex Severe, for example, sprays an ultrafine mist that is less likely to irritate your nostrils with its residue.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But for every shirt bearing a slogan, there were ten cheeks covered in (biodegradable) glitter like the kind that Diggins sprinkles on her face before every race.—
Bill McKibben,
New Yorker,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Groff sprinkles this punchy, athletic syntax over a slew of intricate settings.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Keep an eye out for tiny brown or orange specks, especially around door edges, undercarriage, and seams.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Keep an eye out for tiny brown or orange specks, especially around door edges, undercarriage and seams.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Instead, each child interacts only with a sophisticated artificial intelligence, which peppers them with questions about everything from mathematics to philosophy.—
Niral Shah,
The Conversation,
15 Dec. 2025
-
Instead, the original body features a patina that peppers its exterior and is a point of celebration, preserved and maintained for true uniqueness.—
Peter Nelson,
Robb Report,
3 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
In the clip, posted by Juls Piles (@julspiles), the 21-year-old can be seen swimming away from a boat to retrieve her floatie in the sea, when her brother suddenly spots a shark in the water.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
With Dylan preoccupied, Greg heads to the bar and spots Cristle.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Early salt damage often appears as pale, chalky blotches or uneven fading in the paint finish.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
What Sacks doesn’t get is that by financing and diplomatically supporting Israel, our country makes the crimes of the Israeli government possible, which stains America’s reputation in the world and drains our Treasury.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Every failure of the state now stains the turban as well as the uniform.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dots. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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