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
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dribbling
Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 25 Nov. 2025
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
Other key trends in beauty are dribbling into the allergy space, such as the microbiome buzz.
—James Manso, Footwear News, 29 Jan. 2026
Chelsea consciously began dropping deeper and deeper as Napoli advanced towards the final third, which contributed to Vergara waltzing through open space before dribbling past Caicedo and spinning Fofana to score the equaliser.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Technical on the ball with a penchant for dribbling through pressure in tight areas, Boudri has shown a consistent ability to separate from defenders and be a threat in the final third.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
Tyler capped the opening frame by dribbling the length of the court for a layup and converting a 3-pointer off a steal from the press.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 21 Jan. 2026
But instead of prioritizing touching the paint then spraying the ball out to an open shooter, the Knicks have spiraled into iso-ball, over-dribbling and tough shots.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
His speed, dribbling and passing ability make the Galaxy go, opening up space for opportunity for his teammates.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 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
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
Other key trends in beauty are dribbling into the allergy space, such as the microbiome buzz.
—James Manso, Footwear News, 29 Jan. 2026
Chelsea consciously began dropping deeper and deeper as Napoli advanced towards the final third, which contributed to Vergara waltzing through open space before dribbling past Caicedo and spinning Fofana to score the equaliser.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Technical on the ball with a penchant for dribbling through pressure in tight areas, Boudri has shown a consistent ability to separate from defenders and be a threat in the final third.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
Tyler capped the opening frame by dribbling the length of the court for a layup and converting a 3-pointer off a steal from the press.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 21 Jan. 2026
But instead of prioritizing touching the paint then spraying the ball out to an open shooter, the Knicks have spiraled into iso-ball, over-dribbling and tough shots.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
His speed, dribbling and passing ability make the Galaxy go, opening up space for opportunity for his teammates.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dribbling
Verb
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What Else To Do To Protect Pipes Besides dripping your faucets, some insulation can go a long way in preventing damage to your pipes.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
3 Feb. 2026
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So too is the ancient dining room at Scotti's, with its Chianti bottle candle holders dripping with wax and soft opera music always playing through the speakers.—
Keith Pandolfi,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Water splashing up from the ground gets the wood closest to the ground very wet.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Pour the bleach into the water, not the other way around, to avoid splashing the bleach.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But neither is drooling on your neighbor’s shoulder.—
Adam Cheung,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Feb. 2026
-
This indulgent treat already has fans drooling—and many Costco members have been running to their local bakeries to see if the Cookie Bar Cake is still in stock.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The union previously said that scant progress has been made since the players sent the league their most recent proposal, which included a 30% gross revenue share.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Rupert had scant experience in the movie business.—
Gabriel Sherman,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The inspector noted rusty shelves in the walk-in cooler, a fly strip directly over a food prep area and an employee washing their hands at the warewashing sink.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Someone else wiped his face with his hand and grabbed a bowl of cooked chicken without washing hands.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The music video interposes clips of a nation on fire—thieves and looters running rampant, protesters spitting in cops’ faces—with footage of Aldean and his band playing in front of a courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee, vowing to deliver justice.—
Mitch Therieau,
New Yorker,
7 Feb. 2026
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American consumers and small businesses alike are spitting fire these days about the cost of credit cards, while the companies profiting from them are making money hand over fist.—
Carter Dougherty,
Mercury News,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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How to Prune String of Hearts String of hearts tends to grow long and sparse, with most of the fullness gradually drifting away from the pot, says Rachael Kemery, founder of Rising Iris Farm.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
6 Feb. 2026
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Details are still sparse, but the governor insists a public option would save money for residents and the state.—
Katy Golvala,
Hartford Courant,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Couples dance on the grass while chefs across the park tend bubbling pots of jambalaya and gumbo.—
Phil Thomas,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Feb. 2026
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Catherine was the queen of self-abusing, hard-living, and heading-over-the-hill entertainment veterans — women who were trapped behind a façade of slick showbiz tics that barely covered the active volcano of psychosis bubbling right under their surface.—
Merrill Markoe,
Rolling Stone,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dribbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dribbling. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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