as in specks
a very small piece
news about the remote earthquake was coming in dribbles
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in drips
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 splashes
to flow in a broken irregular stream
rainwater dribbling along the partially clogged gutter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dribbles
Jack Lang, New York Times, 28 May 2026
For example, during his dominant, 18-point first quarter in the Spurs’ Game 5 win over the Timberwolves, on one play Wembanyama hit a combo of hesitation dribbles into a crossover into a spinning layup over Rudy Gobert.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 14 May 2026
From there, two hard dribbles led into a pair of big steps.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2026
McCollum took an inbounds pass near the free-throw line and took two dribbles before launching a shot that banked in.
—CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
McCollum took an inbounds pass near the free-throw line and took two dribbles before launching a shot that banked in.
—ABC News, 6 Apr. 2026
Bakri conveys that immense burden in dribbles of emotion, like a trickle of water wearing down a groove in a rock wall.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
Those areas, Close explained, include taking care of the ball, being efficient with passes and dribbles, having a passion and urgency to make hustle plays, and controlling the glass.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 6 Mar. 2026
Fein immediately met a double team after receiving the inbound pass and actually took a couple of dribbles backward.
—Greg Dudek, Boston Herald, 4 Mar. 2026
Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 16 May 2026
Donaldson dribbles the ball and launches it at the hoop.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 6 May 2026
Rookie of the Year Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg dribbles against Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker in Phoenix.
—Tim Rohan, NBC news, 28 Apr. 2026
Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dribbles the ball up court in the third quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on April 02, 2026, in San Francisco, California.
—CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
This year’s team is an exceptional group of talented players, but their defense fouls too much, Smith dribbles too much and our shooting percentage often tanks.
—Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 17 Feb. 2026
Donyell Malen then dribbles into that space, dragging Porro and Kevin Danso with him, before feeding goalscorer Emiliano Buendia.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
The point guard dribbles off the screen while the 5-man rolls hard to the basket and the 4-man lifts to the perimeter, removing the interior help on the roller.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
Terry Rozier #2 of the Miami Heat dribbles the ball during the second half in a preseason game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Kaseya Center on October 17, 2025 in Miami, Florida.
—Dan Mangan, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
Just non-stop dribbles, counter-attacks, through balls, amazing finishes… all of football’s good bits.
—Jack Lang, New York Times, 28 May 2026
For example, during his dominant, 18-point first quarter in the Spurs’ Game 5 win over the Timberwolves, on one play Wembanyama hit a combo of hesitation dribbles into a crossover into a spinning layup over Rudy Gobert.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 14 May 2026
From there, two hard dribbles led into a pair of big steps.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2026
McCollum took an inbounds pass near the free-throw line and took two dribbles before launching a shot that banked in.
—CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
McCollum took an inbounds pass near the free-throw line and took two dribbles before launching a shot that banked in.
—ABC News, 6 Apr. 2026
Bakri conveys that immense burden in dribbles of emotion, like a trickle of water wearing down a groove in a rock wall.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
Those areas, Close explained, include taking care of the ball, being efficient with passes and dribbles, having a passion and urgency to make hustle plays, and controlling the glass.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 6 Mar. 2026
Fein immediately met a double team after receiving the inbound pass and actually took a couple of dribbles backward.
—Greg Dudek, Boston Herald, 4 Mar. 2026
Verb
The next trip down the floor, Robinson sets a hard screen at the top of the key for Jalen Brunson, who dribbles into a pull-up three to put the Knicks up 17.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 16 May 2026
Donaldson dribbles the ball and launches it at the hoop.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 6 May 2026
Rookie of the Year Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg dribbles against Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker in Phoenix.
—Tim Rohan, NBC news, 28 Apr. 2026
Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dribbles the ball up court in the third quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on April 02, 2026, in San Francisco, California.
—CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
This year’s team is an exceptional group of talented players, but their defense fouls too much, Smith dribbles too much and our shooting percentage often tanks.
—Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 17 Feb. 2026
Donyell Malen then dribbles into that space, dragging Porro and Kevin Danso with him, before feeding goalscorer Emiliano Buendia.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
The point guard dribbles off the screen while the 5-man rolls hard to the basket and the 4-man lifts to the perimeter, removing the interior help on the roller.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
Terry Rozier #2 of the Miami Heat dribbles the ball during the second half in a preseason game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Kaseya Center on October 17, 2025 in Miami, Florida.
—Dan Mangan, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dribbles
Noun
-
Most astronomers now agree that each of these minuscule crimson specks—which bear a striking resemblance to enormous, faraway stars—actually has a burgeoning black hole at its center.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
27 May 2026
-
As in Kourliandski’s quartet, specks and splatters of sound are interspersed with silences.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Brecka, who is not a doctor, put White on a regimen of supplements, cold plunges, IV drips, and red-light therapy that has left him feeling leaner, more energized, and no longer suffering from sleep apnea.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
26 May 2026
-
The beauty of Wembanyama’s performance lies not in the skill displayed, which still drips with novelty because of his height.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
The shark splashes behind Carlos Guana after taking a bite of his camera.—
Tom Wait,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
-
Based on Every Summer After, the best-selling book by Carley Fortune, the series splashes onto the streamer June 10 with all episodes.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Now, though, scientists have discovered bits of tissue removed from a species of sea cucumber called Psolus fabricii can keep on living indefinitely if they’re left in ordinary seawater.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
29 May 2026
-
Just non-stop dribbles, counter-attacks, through balls, amazing finishes… all of football’s good bits.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
But perhaps most controversial is how the update will affect the program’s multibillion-dollar revenue, which flows into the state’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund each year and is distributed to various programs.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
The streets are worse, the parks are underfunded, code enforcement is slower, and city investment consistently flows to other parts of town.—
Mercury News Editorial Board,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Beaches are routinely left covered in trash that washes into the ocean, degrading habitat and threatening marine animals through ingestion and entanglement.—
Letters To The Editor,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 May 2026
-
Rain typically washes pollen out of the air.—
Keerti Gopal,
ArsTechnica,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Spader’s character spits out a reprimand.—
Michael Scherer,
The Atlantic,
24 May 2026
-
Between archival footage and photos of Lennon and Ono, there are dozens of jarring, ugly visuals, seemingly generated by entering Ono and Lennon’s dialogue into a machine that spits out bizarrely literal interpretations of text.—
Rachel Handler,
Vulture,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
The light had a wintry grain, with flecks of color suspended in it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
-
Vermiculite, a fine, puffed, gold flecks mica, which helps with drainage.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dribbles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dribbles. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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