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
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
Italy is not a monolith, but is made up of many tiny, charming towns, glamorous cities, and villages dotting the map along the way.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 4 May 2026
Traci Park won the Los Angeles City Council’s 11th District seat in 2022 on a promise to clean up the rising number of homeless encampments dotting the affluent Westside district.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 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
Along the trail, watch for wildlife, barns dotting the countryside, and scenic river overlooks.
—Robin Pfeifer, Midwest Living, 23 Apr. 2026
The crime scene stretched across multiple city blocks, with dozens of blue and yellow evidence markers dotting the pavement.
—CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
Clean Mirrors If there are fingerprints and toothpaste remnants dotting your mirror, grab a Swiffer, glass cleaner, and a microfiber cloth.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026
Anne Kadet, Curbed, 12 May 2026
Italy is not a monolith, but is made up of many tiny, charming towns, glamorous cities, and villages dotting the map along the way.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 4 May 2026
Traci Park won the Los Angeles City Council’s 11th District seat in 2022 on a promise to clean up the rising number of homeless encampments dotting the affluent Westside district.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 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
Along the trail, watch for wildlife, barns dotting the countryside, and scenic river overlooks.
—Robin Pfeifer, Midwest Living, 23 Apr. 2026
The crime scene stretched across multiple city blocks, with dozens of blue and yellow evidence markers dotting the pavement.
—CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
Clean Mirrors If there are fingerprints and toothpaste remnants dotting your mirror, grab a Swiffer, glass cleaner, and a microfiber cloth.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dotting
Verb
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An attorney for two detainees has accused guards of severely beating and pepper-spraying detainees.—
Mike Schneider,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
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Depending on the level of dirt, dust, and grime, cleaning vinyl siding can be as simple as spraying it down with a garden hose.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 May 2026
Verb
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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
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For this reason, Carpenter recommends using bait stations that contain borax, rather than sprinkling borax directly into the garden.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
17 May 2026
Verb
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The charm offensive was benefited Rubio peppering in a number of jokes during his hourlong appearance.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
7 May 2026
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Irby filmed private workouts with Murdock, photographing his wingspan and 10-inch hands, and peppering college recruiting and coaching staffs with that data.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Boards with deep knife grooves, cracks, or staining should be replaced because damaged areas can continue to trap bacteria even after cleaning.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
17 May 2026
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Worse yet, the black olive tree caterpillar also feeds on these galls caused by the mites, accelerating staining through its droppings.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dotting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dotting. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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