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
To recreate at home, use varying sizes of dotting tools, making sure to let each layer dry before applying the next.
—
Georgia Day, Vogue, 8 Apr. 2026
Come winter, beach towns like this one dotting the Atlantic Coast stretch of Florida surrounding Fort Lauderdale have long brimmed with French Canadian tourists and other snowbirds who arrive for warmth and sunshine.
—CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
Secret churches, perilous conversions During the Palm Sunday service, the in-person audience at the nondenominational church was much smaller than on a typical Sunday, with only about a half-dozen members dotting the rows of blue chairs in front of the stage.
—Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
The mention of Good and Pretti in the lyrics triggered a roar from the crowd, already dotting the arena with phones lights.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
Depending on how late winter goes, the Meriden Daffodil Festival on May 2 and 3 may not be bursting with fresh daffodils dotting the historic Hubbard Park.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2026
Along the route, my father would point in disgust at the large Olympic-torch flames dotting the horizon and rising above the acres of palm trees flanking the highway.
—Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
Instead, Carillo and Barnes recommend dotting a small amount of concealer on the darkest part of your undereye area and blending it in.
—Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 19 Mar. 2026
With mostly sunny skies, lots of 70 degree highs will be dotting the Eastern Plains for Tuesday.
—Dave Aguilera, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
Georgia Day, Vogue, 8 Apr. 2026
Come winter, beach towns like this one dotting the Atlantic Coast stretch of Florida surrounding Fort Lauderdale have long brimmed with French Canadian tourists and other snowbirds who arrive for warmth and sunshine.
—CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
Secret churches, perilous conversions During the Palm Sunday service, the in-person audience at the nondenominational church was much smaller than on a typical Sunday, with only about a half-dozen members dotting the rows of blue chairs in front of the stage.
—Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
The mention of Good and Pretti in the lyrics triggered a roar from the crowd, already dotting the arena with phones lights.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
Depending on how late winter goes, the Meriden Daffodil Festival on May 2 and 3 may not be bursting with fresh daffodils dotting the historic Hubbard Park.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2026
Along the route, my father would point in disgust at the large Olympic-torch flames dotting the horizon and rising above the acres of palm trees flanking the highway.
—Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
Instead, Carillo and Barnes recommend dotting a small amount of concealer on the darkest part of your undereye area and blending it in.
—Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 19 Mar. 2026
With mostly sunny skies, lots of 70 degree highs will be dotting the Eastern Plains for Tuesday.
—Dave Aguilera, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dotting
Verb
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At Château-sur-Mer, a mansion in Newport, arborists from Bartlett Tree Experts have been spraying the canopies of the century-old beech trees in a race against time.—
Jacob Wycoff,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
To ensure that the solution doesn’t sit on the plants, spraying them down with water during the process is always the best option.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
My grandmother just kept sprinkling water and stirring until all the flour gathered into loose clumps, no longer powdery but not yet sticky.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The younger two brothers float paper boats in the kitchen sink and Jeremy plays along, sprinkling flour on their heads—but making the kitchen a total mess.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
O’Leary’s just been peppering the house manager with questions about her business and admiring the replica of the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man that dominates the entryway.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
9 Apr. 2026
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Netflix is doubling down on film and TV from Argentina, opening a new office in the capital, peppering its slate with four new shows, and dishing updates on various others including the latest season of hit series The Eternaut.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This could affect projects like painting the side of your home or even staining your deck.—
Maddie Topliff,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Make sure the deck is completely dry before staining or sealing it.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dotting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dotting. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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