as in spotted
marked with spots
a dotted tie that didn't go with his striped shirt at all
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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
Cameron Kaiser, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
Prospects seem good that someone will sign on the dotted line during or soon after the Toronto event.
—Julie Hinds, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, at Copenhagen Fashion Week in August, show-goers seemed to favor the print above the usual suspects — florals, stripes and leopard spots — with several completing their looks with dotted neck ties, windbreakers, blazers, bloomer shorts or bandanas.
—Natalie Hammond, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2025
This clipboard also comes in seven other decorative designs, including black-dotted, mint floral and navy floral, among others.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
Dylan took to walking down the dotted yellow median.
—Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025
Note the decline as indicated by the dotted red line.
—John Navin, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2025
Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 11 Sep. 2025
Along Spain’s northern coast lies a path dotted with small villages and undisturbed landscapes.
—Hayley Domin, AFAR Media, 10 Sep. 2025
Zarutska worked in a lively area of the lower South End dotted with breweries, apartment complexes and coffee shops.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Pine trees are dotted around the landscape stretching right down to ground level where ice floes seem to float on the water just outside touching distance.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The large lobby-level bar is dotted with couches and an open fireplace.
—Heather Richardson, Travel + Leisure, 6 Sep. 2025
If a certain positive link was already known, the line is dotted.
—New Atlas, 6 Sep. 2025
The kitchen dry storage rack with seasonings and lemon juice was dotted with 21 droppings.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
The evenings were dotted by us.
—Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Simple arithmetic such as 355/113 could be calculated in place by selecting the text and pressing USE FRONT-CALC (Control-G), which yields the answer with a dotted underline to indicate the result of a computation.
—Cameron Kaiser, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
Prospects seem good that someone will sign on the dotted line during or soon after the Toronto event.
—Julie Hinds, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, at Copenhagen Fashion Week in August, show-goers seemed to favor the print above the usual suspects — florals, stripes and leopard spots — with several completing their looks with dotted neck ties, windbreakers, blazers, bloomer shorts or bandanas.
—Natalie Hammond, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2025
This clipboard also comes in seven other decorative designs, including black-dotted, mint floral and navy floral, among others.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
Dylan took to walking down the dotted yellow median.
—Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025
Note the decline as indicated by the dotted red line.
—John Navin, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2025
Verb
While there is no ocean view, the rolling hills dotted with flora are beautiful.
—Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 11 Sep. 2025
Along Spain’s northern coast lies a path dotted with small villages and undisturbed landscapes.
—Hayley Domin, AFAR Media, 10 Sep. 2025
Zarutska worked in a lively area of the lower South End dotted with breweries, apartment complexes and coffee shops.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Pine trees are dotted around the landscape stretching right down to ground level where ice floes seem to float on the water just outside touching distance.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The large lobby-level bar is dotted with couches and an open fireplace.
—Heather Richardson, Travel + Leisure, 6 Sep. 2025
If a certain positive link was already known, the line is dotted.
—New Atlas, 6 Sep. 2025
The kitchen dry storage rack with seasonings and lemon juice was dotted with 21 droppings.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
The evenings were dotted by us.
—Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dotted
Adjective
-
An invasive planthopper native to Asia, the spotted lanternfly is thought to have entered the U.S. via egg masses on a stone shipment in 2012, according to Cornell Integrated Pest Management.—
Katie Nixon,
The Tennessean,
25 Aug. 2025
-
The shoe got endorsements from celebrities early on after their rerelease, with stars like Dua Lipa, Emily Ratajkowski and more spotted wearing it.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
To see those brown eyes, long brown hair, and those freckles sprinkled across her nose.—
Manuel Muñoz,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The clinical nature of the autopsy report is stark against the remnants of Pauline’s humanity, sprinkled throughout the 11 pages.—
Kirsten Fiscus,
The Tennessean,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Éclairs with glossy chocolate tops, macarons in muted pastels that feel like edible architecture, madeleines flecked with salt or spice.—
Daniel Scheffler,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
-
Or try the takikomi gohan — a hot stone pot of crispy rice flecked with roasted mushrooms, edamame and sweet pea shoots and sauced with black garlic oil and a glossy egg yolk.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Women in brightly colored dresses danced in shoes that loudly clicked across the floor.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Across the valley sat a two-story barn where caramel-colored and chestnut-spotted horses plus a storybook white one were lined up along the wooden fence.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Kris, 69, then appeared in the video, pretending to scream as her grandchildren sprayed her with even more Silly String.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
How To Disinfect Door Handles Use disinfecting wipes or a disinfecting cleaner sprayed onto a microfiber cloth rather than spraying directly onto the hardware.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Inside the retro-futuristic Discoveryland area of Disneyland Paris, a full-size Star Wars X-Wing fighter sits on a silver and blue platform which looks like it has been weathered and stained from battles.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Doing some research on other things my car needs (truly the theme for this week) and decide a seat cover would be good, since it’s been stained a bit with annoying food spills.—
R29 Team,
Refinery29,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
This golden bouquet, which comes in a speckled brown ceramic pot, adds moody vibes and a pop of fall-friendly color, to the countertops, table, or coffee table.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Sep. 2025
-
On the platform, around the clock, the racket of metal bore pipes and machinery, the drilling grime and the speckled mud mingled with the quieter, cleaner work of scientists in trailers converted to pristine labs and processing posts.—
Rodrique Ngowi,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But now, as Frazier advanced, Ali peppered his face with starch-stiff jabs and two-punch counters.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
16 Sep. 2025
-
The first-year player peppered him with questions, while also asking for advice after his first game at Arrowhead Stadium.—
Jesse Newell,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dotted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dotted. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share