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
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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
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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
Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
Sentnor took a pass from Debinha in the 69th minute, dribbling inside through six Utah defenders.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 14 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
As LeBron James conducted his pregame dribbling routine at the Chase Center, the sparse but rapidly-filling crowd ooh’d and aah’d over the scene on display.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 1 Mar. 2026
Westbrook’s reaction came after Boucher took a final heave rather than dribbling out the clock, a move widely frowned upon around the league.
—Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Thunder players outside of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had trouble merely dribbling the ball, let alone serving as any type of legitimate scoring threat.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 30 Jan. 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
Raúl had taught us dribbling tricks and how to hit a header from a corner shot.
—Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
Sentnor took a pass from Debinha in the 69th minute, dribbling inside through six Utah defenders.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 14 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
As LeBron James conducted his pregame dribbling routine at the Chase Center, the sparse but rapidly-filling crowd ooh’d and aah’d over the scene on display.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 1 Mar. 2026
Westbrook’s reaction came after Boucher took a final heave rather than dribbling out the clock, a move widely frowned upon around the league.
—Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Thunder players outside of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had trouble merely dribbling the ball, let alone serving as any type of legitimate scoring threat.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 30 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dribbling
Verb
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With the games dripping out, one at a time, the entire planet is focused on a single match while it is being played, all the eyes of the world resting on twenty-two elite athletes acting out a sporting telenovela, living making decisions without a script, under conditions of hysterical pressure.—
Jeffrey Pierre,
NPR,
17 Mar. 2026
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Enhancing the extraterrestrial vibe are the two clear, plastic tubes (called drains) sprouting from their heads, through which all manner of blood and ooze exit the face, dripping into suction bulbs that dangle below their ears, storing the gunk.—
Jolene Edgar,
Allure,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The family fed the elephants, prepared their food, gave mud baths, and ended the visit splashing in the river.—
Jordi Lippe-McGraw,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 Mar. 2026
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So instead of splashing around in new pools on Day 1, the Broncos ran it back.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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What causes drooling There are numerous causes of drooling — some benign, others less so, experts say.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Even a small amount, whether inhaled or absorbed through the skin, can lead to drooling, vomiting, tremors, or difficulty breathing.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Most have been detained based on scant evidence and vague accusations.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The regional network that Iran spent decades building has offered scant relief.—
Richard Goldberg,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
An employee shifted from cleaning floors to handling a container of food without washing hands.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
-
To save them, remove the mold by washing them thoroughly with water to remove surface fungi, then spray them with a diluted solution of hydrogen peroxide (1 part hydrogen peroxide to 2 parts water).—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Carolyn and Lauren are only glad Ann couldn’t make it, lest someone start spitting bars.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
-
So people were spitting them out.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Reports of his church attendance are sparse.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Some fans in Utah and Arizona have longed for the good ol’ days when the Pac-12 played its conference tournament in front of sparse crowds in Las Vegas.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Nothing compares to the sentiments bubbling up inside Dell Curry over the last month.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Mandi Oasis is a new Yemeni cafe with a soul-warming lamb stew that arrives at the table bubbling in a clay pot along with ample bread for dipping.—
Bob Carlton,
Southern Living,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dribbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dribbling. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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