as in colored
marked with spots
a dotted tie that didn't go with his striped shirt at all
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Recent Examples of dotted
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 6 Feb. 2026
And eventually, the Greek forward signed on the dotted line to remain in Milwaukee.
—Eric Nehm, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Guests will be interested in the artwork, which showcases the building, its inhabitants, and its surroundings throughout the years, and can be found dotted throughout the property.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Jan. 2026
On the contrary, large parts of the globe are quite densely dotted with seismic sensors designed to detect earthquakes, and those measurements are mostly openly available online.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Polka dots were a clear standout during fall/winter 2025 fashion month, with dotted looks from Altuzarra and Brandon Maxwell.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 20 Jan. 2026
And when Bichette puts on another team’s cap and signs on their dotted line, the Red Sox will pivot again.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
Cleaning up things, making sure everything’s dotted.
—Benjamin Royer, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Still, until Harbaugh signs on the dotted line with the Giants, nothing is guaranteed.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
Harriet Compston, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Feb. 2026
When animals dug up some of the plants outside his home, Carney converted some old bathtubs into makeshift planters and dotted them around his property.
—Ryan Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
In this instance, pops of pin—magenta dotted over Barbie and vice versa—lean into Valentine's Day's feminine side.
—Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 6 Feb. 2026
The area is dotted with many extravagant forts and palaces built by the Rajputs.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 5 Feb. 2026
Surrounded by vast desert, the long and windy road that leads to Nancy Guthrie’s home in the Catalina Foothills is dotted with prickly cacti and attractive houses.
—Amanda Musa, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
Colwin’s writing is funny and familiar, never fussy, and reminiscent of a family heirloom dotted with personal notes and stories.
—Bekah Waalkes, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026
The surface, dynamic and shimmering in its movement, is dotted with small pill packets and fake eyelashes fastened into place—static objects disrupting the fluid’s momentum.
—Theo Belci, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026
That is, they are dotted with nodules inhabited by nitrogen-fixing bacteria that obviate the need for fertilizer.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Sure, that might help convince Donovan Mitchell to sign on the dotted line when a contract extension gets placed in front of him.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 6 Feb. 2026
And eventually, the Greek forward signed on the dotted line to remain in Milwaukee.
—Eric Nehm, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Guests will be interested in the artwork, which showcases the building, its inhabitants, and its surroundings throughout the years, and can be found dotted throughout the property.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Jan. 2026
On the contrary, large parts of the globe are quite densely dotted with seismic sensors designed to detect earthquakes, and those measurements are mostly openly available online.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Polka dots were a clear standout during fall/winter 2025 fashion month, with dotted looks from Altuzarra and Brandon Maxwell.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 20 Jan. 2026
And when Bichette puts on another team’s cap and signs on their dotted line, the Red Sox will pivot again.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
Cleaning up things, making sure everything’s dotted.
—Benjamin Royer, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Still, until Harbaugh signs on the dotted line with the Giants, nothing is guaranteed.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
Black and white local wildlife photography decorate the walls while the teak furniture is dotted with covetable coffee table books and a Marshall radio.
—Harriet Compston, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Feb. 2026
When animals dug up some of the plants outside his home, Carney converted some old bathtubs into makeshift planters and dotted them around his property.
—Ryan Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
In this instance, pops of pin—magenta dotted over Barbie and vice versa—lean into Valentine's Day's feminine side.
—Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 6 Feb. 2026
The area is dotted with many extravagant forts and palaces built by the Rajputs.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 5 Feb. 2026
Surrounded by vast desert, the long and windy road that leads to Nancy Guthrie’s home in the Catalina Foothills is dotted with prickly cacti and attractive houses.
—Amanda Musa, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
Colwin’s writing is funny and familiar, never fussy, and reminiscent of a family heirloom dotted with personal notes and stories.
—Bekah Waalkes, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026
The surface, dynamic and shimmering in its movement, is dotted with small pill packets and fake eyelashes fastened into place—static objects disrupting the fluid’s momentum.
—Theo Belci, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026
That is, they are dotted with nodules inhabited by nitrogen-fixing bacteria that obviate the need for fertilizer.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dotted
Adjective
-
Small balconies glance upon the terracotta-and-lemon-colored canal homes, a picturesque way to start each day with a little caffè.—
Elly Leavitt,
Vogue,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The Seahawks are now the third team in a row to win the Super Bowl in colored jerseys.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Their names are sprinkled throughout the documents — even after heavy redactions.—
Daniel Wine,
CNN Money,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Several references about Louisville, where the author briefly lived, are sprinkled throughout the classic tale.—
Kirby Adams,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Rounds of roasted purple sweet potatoes arrive mounded with a mixture of salsa macha and butter, and liberally flecked with chives.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Outside, a man wearing a leather biker vest bearing the insignia of the Latin American Motorcycle Association, his blond beard flecked with ice crystals, directed a line of cars through the snow.—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
In short, the spotted lanternfly is a moth-like bug that's not supposed to be in the U.S.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
8 Jan. 2026
-
This photo, made with a remote camera and provided by the University of Arizona Wild Cat Research and Conservation Center, shows a spotted jaguar in southern Arizona, Nov. 2025.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The man told officers two males entered his unlocked apartment and sprayed him with a fire extinguisher, according to police.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Wash immediately after being sprayed with the solution, and don’t get any in your eyes.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Over time, plastic containers can become scratched, stained, or damaged, and that starts to pose a food safety risk, explains Dragomir Markovic, food scientist and founder of Wise Intake.—
Taylor Tobin,
Southern Living,
5 Feb. 2026
-
His house in Minneapolis sits between two neighborhoods stained by bloodshed where Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti were killed by federal immigration officers during a surge of immigration enforcement that has ignited outrage and protests across the country.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
2 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The actress wore a long-sleeve top with puffy sleeves rolled to the elbows and contrasting fabric between black and a speckled camel tone.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Hire a charter and head out to the deep sea, rent a kayak from Bayou Adventure’s Rental Kiosk and test the waters on the bay side, or stay on land and reel in black drum and speckled trout from one of the island’s two piers or a folding chair on the beach.—
Kristy Christiansen,
Southern Living,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
America First Legal, cofounded by senior White House adviser Stephen Miller, has peppered top companies with dozens of discrimination complaints and posted on social media seeking more White people to file legal claims.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Even as the snow continued to fall, Boston residents peppered the city’s 311 public service request board with reports of snowbound city streets.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dotted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dotted. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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