dribble 1 of 2

noun

Definition of dribblenext
as in speck
a very small piece news about the remote earthquake was coming in dribbles

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dribble

2 of 2

verb

ˈdri-bəl How to pronounce dribble (audio)
1
as in to drip
to fall or let fall in or as if in drops water dribbling over the lip of the fountain

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to splash
to flow in a broken irregular stream rainwater dribbling along the partially clogged gutter

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to drool
to let saliva or some other substance flow from the mouth picnickers dribbling in eager anticipation of the hamburgers on the grill

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 dribble
Noun
Very good passer who can be a connector offensively, start the break himself, and has improved each year as a shooter, making 37% of his 3-pointers this season, including 45% when unguarded and even 38% off the dribble. — Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 23 June 2026 Messi made several dribbles at the backpedaling Algerian defenders before using his left foot to curve a sweeping shot past goalkeeper Luca Zidane for the first goal of the match. — Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 17 June 2026
Verb
One of the event’s biggest attractions was the Humanoid Soccer League, where robots passed, dribbled, defended, and attempted long-range shots in matches resembling human soccer. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 6 July 2026 Fourteen-year-old Karam dribbles a blue, yellow and white football down a sandy path in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza. — Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 5 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for dribble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dribble
  1. speck
  2. drip
  3. splash
  4. drool
  5. bit
  6. flow
  7. wash
  8. spit
Noun
  • New York State created a Law, for an instant speck of time, going back many decades, in order to wrongfully ‘nab’ me.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 29 June 2026
  • One released a chaff cascade—hell’s own monsoon manifesting as specks of light, sound, and EM pulses falling through the hanging garden.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of speck
Verb
  • This forces any excess oil to drip onto the pieces of cardboard where the track touches the concrete.
    — Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 11 July 2026
  • The result is an urgent, propulsive song with a raw spirit and some of Pop’s most super-charged writing with deceptively simple lyrics about love and war, dripping with desperation.
    — Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026
Definition of drip
Verb
  • Adidas reportedly spent $67 million on its hero film, Backyard Legends, while Nike also splashed heavily on talent — Kim Kardashian, Kylian Mbappé, Central Cee, and LeBron James, among others — for its competing short, Rip the Script.
    — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 16 July 2026
  • While the Super Heavy booster will splash down in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Boca Chica, the Ship upper stage will follow a suborbital trajectory for a target splashdown in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Western Australia.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of splash
Verb
  • Some of the signs of overheating include heavy panting or drooling, a rapid pulse, bright red gums or tongue, labored breathing, difficulty standing, vomiting or diarrhea and a fever.
    — Cody Godwin, USA Today, 16 July 2026
  • Typically, the consequence of a sunny Open Championship is firm and fast playing conditions that make golf fans drool.
    — Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 16 July 2026
Definition of drool
Noun
  • This pacing problem extends to subplots like the Henry-in-a-coma bit.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • Scientists pointed out that the abrasion bit the rover used to expose the rocks was sterilized before launch and has cut into other rocks across Jezero without ever producing a G-band this strong.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 4 July 2026
Definition of bit
Verb
  • Researchers in China have developed a flowing zinc slurry battery that operated continuously for 5,128 hours, offering a new approach to long-duration energy storage for renewable power systems.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 July 2026
  • Just take Stella McCartney’s spring 2004 collection, which featured a flowing, organic dress practically made for a water nymph.
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 17 July 2026
Definition of flow
Verb
  • Some physicians recommend washing your mouth out after use by gargling and rinsing your mouth with water.
    — Alexandra Frost, USA Today, 5 July 2026
  • The optimal times to use hair oil are before washing your hair or after a blow-dry.
    — Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 5 July 2026
Definition of wash
Verb
  • That’s when a 17-year-old girl spit at an officer when she was asked to leave the area, authorities said.
    — WBFF STAFF, Baltimore Sun, 13 July 2026
  • Lowry, in the meantime, would embark on a two-decade career in a league that spits out frauds on the regular.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
Definition of spit

Browse Nearby Words

drew up
dribble
dribbled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dribble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dribble. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on dribble

Nglish: Translation of dribble for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dribble

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All