DRIBBLING Synonyms: 89 Similar and Opposite Words

dribbling 1 of 2

adjective

as in trickling

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Dissimilar Words

dribbling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of dribble

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

as in splashing

to flow in a broken irregular stream rainwater dribbling along the partially clogged gutter

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

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

Substantially above-average precipitation in states like Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio was canceled out by historically sparse totals recorded in places like California, which had its driest summer since 2002 and its fifth-driest ever recorded.

— Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026
But Taylor told Ars that research remains sparse, with OpenAI’s reporting on ChatGPT users offering one of the few indicators of how widespread the problem may be.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 9 Sep. 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

In a small room on the second floor of an Episcopal church in Queens, a large printer beeps and whirs, spitting out posters inked with bright yellow tennis balls.

— Rebecca Tauber, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
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

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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“Dribbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dribbling. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of dribbling

adjective

verb

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