dotted 1 of 2

dotted

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verb

past tense of dot
1
2
as in flecked
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dotted
Adjective
To reduce confusion, the top plate has a dotted pattern around each key position that can accept a magnetic switch. Francisco Lahoz, PC Magazine, 12 Sep. 2026 The black dotted forecast line shows the multi-model median whereas the surrounding range shows the 25th–75th percentiles. Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 6 Sep. 2026 For an easy finishing touch, toss a dotted floral throw pillow onto your sofa or bed to bring in warmer tones and cozier textures. Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 16 Aug. 2026 The dotted centers of the doodle-looking flowers were instead clusters of spotlights that could point in different directions. Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 3 Aug. 2026 O’Connell Marsh will report to Andrea Scrosati, Fremantle’s Group COO and CEO Continental Europe, with a dotted line to Jens Richter, CEO Commercial and International, and will sit on the Global Leadership Team. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 31 July 2026 On one of the surviving Ottoman maps of Athens, it’s indicated by a dotted line, a marking that also indicated what is believed to have been a plan of underground tunnels below the citadel. Literary Hub, 20 July 2026 The United Kingdom’s queen consort wore a long-sleeve midi dress in black and white with a geometric, dotted pattern throughout the fabric. Julia Teti, Footwear News, 16 July 2026 Today, these dotted dogs are living symbols of courage, companionship and tail-wagging tradition that’s an iconic part of American history. Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 15 July 2026
Verb
Numerous milestones, from Peart studying with jazz player Freddie Gruber and reinventing his playing style to writing Ghost Rider, a memoir about riding motorcycles and grieving the loss of his wife and daughter, are dotted along the way. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2026 The purple walls are dotted with photos of the homegrown superstar, who passed away ten years ago this year. David Farley, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 Sep. 2026 With many people's budgets under major pressure in today's economic landscape, which is dotted by high inflation, elevated borrowing rates and rising consumer goods costs, having access to that cash can be quite valuable. Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026 Many astronomers concluded that big black holes dotted the universe, washing out the light of the stars in their host galaxies. Quanta Magazine, 14 Sep. 2026 All of the screenings, meanwhile, are held on the Lido, a barrier island dotted with low-key beach clubs (and one decidedly high-key one, at the ritzy Excelsior Hotel, where cabanas can go for hundreds of Euros per day). Richard Lawson, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026 The room was about three-quarters full, dotted with suits and open shirts befitting the private equity world that Black shaped as cofounder of Apollo Global Management as well as what could be called Upper East Sidecore. Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 10 Sep. 2026 On Grindr, the app’s usual grid of headless-torso profiles was dotted with American-flag emojis. Jesús Rodríguez, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2026 So many faux-drone overhead flights across the Thames, dotted with pretty little boats! Michael Phillips, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dotted
Adjective
  • There were beautiful boulevards, sweeping bridges over the Moskva River, wide Stalin-era avenues lined with imposing granite buildings, and quiet nineteenth-century neighborhoods of pastel-colored mansions.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Located within the historic Castle District, the area features cobbled streets, several museums, and the striking Matthias Church, which is known for its highly detailed, multi-colored interior décor.
    Lucy Handley, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • With red and yellow confetti sprinkled around them on the field, Mom and Dad gave their little girl a smooch.
    Alexandra Schonfeld, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026
  • For the final touch, bright red pomegranate arils are sprinkled over the top.
    Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The creamy consistency gives the pie a dreamy texture, with little pops of crunch from the passionfruit seeds flecked throughout the custard.
    The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Family, friends and neighbors filled the frames with dancing and dominoes; their apartments painted in shades of mint, butter yellow and palomino pink, flecked with a patina cultivated by humidity and time.
    Suzy Exposito, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2026
Adjective
  • Other invasive plants including Tree of Heaven, the host plant for the highly invasive spotted lanternfly, has been found in The Preserve as well.
    Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Because spotted skunks are relatively rare in California wildlife rehabilitation centers and in the surrounding area, there were no other skunks of his kind available to keep him company.
    Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • So Williams got a job as a driver who sprayed homes, businesses and public areas with chemicals that killed mosquito larvae.
    Tashan Reed, Washington Post, 18 Sep. 2026
  • There's also demand for surveillance cameras after the governor says security footage from a Brooklyn yeshiva was able to help police find the person who sprayed swastikas on its building in November 2025.
    Lisa Rozner, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The case has attracted widespread attention because the nature of Fortune’s death recalled lynchings in the Southern state, which has a tumultuous civil rights history stained by episodes of racial violence.
    Sophie Bates, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Several others said the incident has stained India’s credibility and the Hindu religion.
    Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Tegu These fat, speckled lizards hail from Argentina and arrived in Florida with a hunger for eggs— alligator, turtle, tortoise and bird alike.
    Alex Harris August 25, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Bred at the organization’s Beckman Center for Conservation Research, the tiny, speckled frogs have been reintroduced at several different high-elevation mountain habitats, including Bluff Lake in the Big Bear Valley.
    Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Before Warren even got to his lesson, the second graders peppered him with questions.
    Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The music that existed just outside his window and peppered his childhood.
    Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dotted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dotted. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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