1
as in spraying
to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on
a hillside dotted with wildflowers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in sprinkling
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 dotting
Among the historic attractions dotting Route 66, there may be none more hapless and ill fated as the Aztec Hotel in Monrovia.
—
Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
With one dotting tool, one sponge, and one nail art brush, the world is your manicure oyster.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 29 May 2026
On her fingertips were little ladybugs dotting her nails, courtesy of nail artist Elle Gerstein.
—Diana Tsui, Footwear News, 24 May 2026
The 164-acre Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park has vibrant gardens, almost five miles of walking trails, and a lovely pond, with both permanent and rotating art installations dotting the expansive property.
—Kristy Tolley, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026
Create a Hummingbird Buffet Rather than dotting single specimens around your garden, plant a hummingbird highway.
—Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 May 2026
And the mini-chains that cater to them — Gorjana, Solidcore, Vuori — are following them uptown, dotting stretches of Second and Third Avenue between 72nd and 86th Street.
—Anne Kadet, Curbed, 12 May 2026
Umbrellas are dotting the viewing area as a Marine band entertains guests.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
And some nail artists use a dotting tool or a thin nail brush dipped into the thick gel to fashion their dew-like beads.
—Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 27 Apr. 2026
Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
With one dotting tool, one sponge, and one nail art brush, the world is your manicure oyster.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 29 May 2026
On her fingertips were little ladybugs dotting her nails, courtesy of nail artist Elle Gerstein.
—Diana Tsui, Footwear News, 24 May 2026
The 164-acre Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park has vibrant gardens, almost five miles of walking trails, and a lovely pond, with both permanent and rotating art installations dotting the expansive property.
—Kristy Tolley, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026
Create a Hummingbird Buffet Rather than dotting single specimens around your garden, plant a hummingbird highway.
—Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 May 2026
And the mini-chains that cater to them — Gorjana, Solidcore, Vuori — are following them uptown, dotting stretches of Second and Third Avenue between 72nd and 86th Street.
—Anne Kadet, Curbed, 12 May 2026
Umbrellas are dotting the viewing area as a Marine band entertains guests.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
And some nail artists use a dotting tool or a thin nail brush dipped into the thick gel to fashion their dew-like beads.
—Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 27 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dotting
Verb
-
Avoid spraying when wind speeds exceed 5 miles per hour and use a low spray pressure to increase droplet size, as larger particles are less likely to move with the wind.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
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In the end, efforts to cool the crippled tank by spraying water on it were believed to have helped slow down the reaction enough to prevent an explosion or massive rupture in the tank that could have sent toxic chemicals flowing into waterways and the ocean.—
Iris Kwok,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Leaving wet grass clippings on your lawn or sprinkling them over garden beds can create a breeding ground for fungal diseases and block airflow, creating a layer of humidity, says Handley.—
Alexandra Kelly,
Martha Stewart,
22 May 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
-
Hezbollah upped its campaign as well, peppering Israeli troops in southern Lebanon and areas of northern Israel with drones and rocket attacks, according to statements from the group.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2026
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Two years ago, Guardiola sent Kyle Walker to invite Warnock up to his office after the long-serving manager had been working on a television broadcast, and started peppering him with questions.—
Sam Lee,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
Verb
-
Use place mats or tablecloths on your kitchen table to keep food spills, condensation from drinks, and utensils from marring or staining the surface.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
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And the incident was one of four mechanical problems with the LCS fleet in a year, staining the reputation of the ships’ reliability.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dotting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dotting. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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