dribbling 1 of 2

adjective

as in trickling

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dribbling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of dribble
1
as in dripping
to fall or let fall in or as if in drops water dribbling over the lip of the fountain

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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 dribbling
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
His movement, dribbling ability and raw talent definitely stuck in my memory. — Amitai Winehouse, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026 Until the 85th minute, when Messi, off a short corner kick, attracted three defenders while dribbling in. — Sean Gregory, Time, 15 July 2026 Norway finally managed to apply some pressure in the attacking third, leading to a loose ball dribbling in the box. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 12 July 2026 Now with Antetokounmpo as a teammate after the Heat’s trade with the Milwaukee Bucks, Mitchell is dribbling off to Greece in a week. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 10 July 2026 The Manchester United player ran a quick give-and-go with Nicolas Pépé, taking the short return pass and then dribbling through the Norwegian defense. — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dribbling
  1. scant
  2. dripping
  3. splashing
  4. drooling
  5. sparse
  6. washing
  7. spitting
  8. scanty
Adjective
  • Trump has spent years attacking mail-in voting as vulnerable to fraud, despite scant evidence of widespread abuse.
    — Erik Kirschbaum, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • But the film co-signs it with a strangely gung-ho spirit, as Chin — himself a father of two — joins the mission with scant discussion of the potential hubris of this decision.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of scant
Verb
  • There’s a mysterious liquid dripping from the ceiling next to the changing table.
    — Zachary Pincus-Roth, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Condensation can look like a hazy fog, water droplets, or streams of water dripping down the window.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of dripping
Verb
  • Doggy Pool Party Let your dog have its day splashing at the Doggy Pool Party at Kelley Cofer Park in Tucker.
    — Mary Caldwell, AJC.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The water is cold off of Comporta, but that didn’t stop dozens of braver beachgoers than me from splashing in the waves.
    — Mattie Kahn, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of splashing
Verb
  • Stuff like Caitlin Clark getting mugged with no foul being called, or Sophie Cunningham pointing at some obnoxious player, or ESPN drooling over a coach wearing a pro-trans shirt.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Video released by the Milwaukie Police Department shows Descamps sprawled in a hospital bed, his body limp, moaning and drooling, while medical staff stood nearby.
    — Brian Mann, NPR, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of drooling
Adjective
  • Sacramento in particular would see only sparse raindrops in between more cloudy skies.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Enter Reeve, who was only 24 when filming began, with a sparse screen resume.
    — Jesse Hassenger, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of sparse
Verb
  • Now, to the handwashing shortcomings, such as a cashier handling customer’s payment, then preparing drinks and serving plates of food to customers without washing hands (cash and payment cards tend to be germ motherships).
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026
  • In a single-person household, washing your bath mat every one to two weeks is typically sufficient.
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of washing
Verb
  • Oprah sported a Lululemon version during a hiking trip in Australia earlier this year, but this spitting-image pick is a fraction of the price.
    — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Within that, the specific element of the tracking data which makes batting so tough is the inconsistency of bounce, with a large number of deliveries either spitting (bouncing excessively) or scooting (bouncing far less than anticipated).
    — Ben Jones Aug. 26, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of spitting
Adjective
  • They are being asked to do it with scanty documentation, including proof that the Historic Preservation Board is causing unnecessary delay.
    — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 June 2026
  • Although the details are scanty, the potential DOE funding is likely to be directed towards this demonstration facility.
    — Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 25 May 2026
Definition of scanty

Browse Nearby Words

dribbles
dribbling
driblet
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Cite this Entry

“Dribbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dribbling. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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