as in trickling
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1
as in dripping
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 splashing
to flow in a broken irregular stream
rainwater dribbling along the partially clogged gutter
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in drooling
to let saliva or some other substance flow from the mouth
picnickers dribbling in eager anticipation of the hamburgers on the grill
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dribbling
Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 25 Nov. 2025
Schuyler Dixon, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Ivisic made his way down the floor, got the ball at the three-point line, took two steps without dribbling and threw down a poster dunk of his own.
—Ryan Brennan
march 25, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2026
Taylor Huff got one back in the 56th minute, dribbling into the box and finishing off the left post.
—Harold Gutmann, Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2026
After dribbling between his legs, Mark switched up and leaned to his right and let loose with a dagger jumper from 20 feet out.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 18 Mar. 2026
Raúl had taught us dribbling tricks and how to hit a header from a corner shot.
—Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
Their play is a symphony of cheers and swishes, conversation and laughter, dribbling balls and rattling rims.
—Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026
Their relentless and slick positional rotations routinely pull opponents disastrously out of shape, allowing their blistering speed and dribbling skill to exploit the space created, aided by the attacking thrust of Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi from the full-back positions.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
He had been cleared for individual work late last week, and had shed his cast and was focusing on non-contact work like dribbling and shooting.
—ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
In a recent lab demonstration done by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), the compact humanoid moved with surprising fluidity—dribbling, passing, and sinking shots after practising thousands of simulated drills.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 25 Nov. 2025
Verb
After Blakes lost the ball dribbling toward the basket for what would have been a tying shot, the Commodores had to foul three times just to get Notre Dame to the free-throw line.
—Schuyler Dixon, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Ivisic made his way down the floor, got the ball at the three-point line, took two steps without dribbling and threw down a poster dunk of his own.
—Ryan Brennan
march 25, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2026
Taylor Huff got one back in the 56th minute, dribbling into the box and finishing off the left post.
—Harold Gutmann, Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2026
After dribbling between his legs, Mark switched up and leaned to his right and let loose with a dagger jumper from 20 feet out.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 18 Mar. 2026
Raúl had taught us dribbling tricks and how to hit a header from a corner shot.
—Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
Their play is a symphony of cheers and swishes, conversation and laughter, dribbling balls and rattling rims.
—Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026
Their relentless and slick positional rotations routinely pull opponents disastrously out of shape, allowing their blistering speed and dribbling skill to exploit the space created, aided by the attacking thrust of Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi from the full-back positions.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
He had been cleared for individual work late last week, and had shed his cast and was focusing on non-contact work like dribbling and shooting.
—ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dribbling
Verb
-
The king hosted a banquet for him in a hall dripping with flowers and gold leaf.—
Danica Kirka,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
-
This is the best that West has ever looked, including every shirtless scene and every time he’s gotten out of the pool dripping wet.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The capsule should then spend the next several days journeying back to Earth, before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on April 10.—
Tom Costello,
NBC news,
30 Mar. 2026
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That capsule went on a looping trip around the moon that lasted over three weeks and covered over a million miles before splashing back down in the Pacific.—
Nell Greenfieldboyce,
NPR,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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These plants contain cardiac glycosides, which can cause unpleasant symptoms for dogs and cats alike, such as drooling, diarrhea, abdominal pain, abnormal heart rhythm, and even some neurologic signs.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Chewing on the bulbs can cause severe vomiting and diarrhea, profuse drooling and burns to the mouth.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The plot, spread thin to the point of breaking even at a scant 98 minutes, loosely adapts that of the original game.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Snow-scant winters usually translate to meager stream flows.—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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An employee put on gloves without washing their hands first, some food in the display case didn’t have a time stamp and mouse droppings were found in the restroom.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Mar. 2026
-
An employee was washing and rinsing dishes.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Because who wouldn’t want to join a religion seemingly spitting out beautiful women?—
Elizabeth Gulino,
Allure,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Police accused Arianna Skye Foster, his 21-year-old girlfriend of spitting at a driver, dousing another with pepper spray and throwing rocks and pieces of brick at vehicles, according to documents.—
Ray Stern,
AZCentral.com,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The no-fuss interior is pretty sparse, bar a handful of tables and small wine cabinet.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
But as space continues to expand today, and matter becomes sparser, the universe is looking increasingly like de Sitter space again.—
Shalma Wegsman,
Quanta Magazine,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The ballet flat trend has been bubbling away for a few years, with cult labels like Comme des Garçons, Maison Margiela, Lemaire, and Bode releasing versions as early as 2021, beloved by fashion-forward arty types who’d pair them with shredded jeans or baggy shorts.—
Jack Stanley,
Vogue,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Bake on lower rack until sauce is bubbling, 13 to 15 minutes.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dribbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dribbling. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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