DRIBBLING Synonyms: 89 Similar and Opposite Words

dribbling 1 of 2

adjective

as in trickling

Related Words

Relevance

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

In a twist on tailoring, jackets dripping with fringe made their way down the runway at Monse.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026
Zendaya, who was a nominee for her powerful performance on the HBO drama Euphoria, wore a glamorous Prada gown dripping with crystals that was styled by Law Roach.

— Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of dripping

Verb

The video begins with Meghan and Harry walking hand-in-hand outdoors before transitioning to several family moments, including a child warming their feet by a fireplace and Meghan wearing rain boots while splashing through a muddy puddle.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026
Another clip showed Meghan splashing in a muddy puddle before shifting to footage of Princess Lilibet riding a bike.

— Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of splashing

Verb

Toward the end of the film, that kid is grown up and stuck in an incestuous relationship with his mother, while a nearly incapacitated Dau sits drooling nearby.

— Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of drooling

Adjective

But dermatologist Uchenne Okereke told Allure that when the follicles are still intact and only the ends look sparse, that’s a sign of breakage rather than true loss.

— Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2026
After a summer season of extremely high temperatures, uneven rainfall, and possibly inconsistent maintenance, lawns can be a bit sparse and tired.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of sparse

Verb

This is a model spitting out something that goes against tradition.

— Eno Sarris, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
All, though, are generally tasked with spitting out algorithmic data that help inform a head coach’s decision-making around fourth downs, two-point conversions, timeouts and beyond.

— Luca Evans, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 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

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Dribbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dribbling. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of dribbling

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

churlish

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18

Popular

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes