as in spoon
a utensil with a bowl and a handle that is used especially in cooking and serving food
the chef looked around for a ladle to add the chicken broth to the pot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to scoop
to lift out with something that holds liquid
the server ladled out the soup from a large tureen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ladle
Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 4 Nov. 2025
At Curry in a Hurry, Sajjad Chowdhury ladles steaming goat curry into a bowl for a customer while reflecting on the news the very building where investigators say the high-stakes poker games took place is just a block away.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2025
Generations still work the same woks, and fry oyster omelets and ladle out bowls of fish ball soup the exact same way their grandparents did.
—Clarissa Wei, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ladle
Noun
Pair with an enamelware ladle and some crusty bread for an unforgettable meal.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 4 Nov. 2025
At Curry in a Hurry, Sajjad Chowdhury ladles steaming goat curry into a bowl for a customer while reflecting on the news the very building where investigators say the high-stakes poker games took place is just a block away.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
Gradually ladle about 1 cup grits mixture into egg mixture, whisking constantly, until egg mixture feels warm to the touch.
—Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2025
Generations still work the same woks, and fry oyster omelets and ladle out bowls of fish ball soup the exact same way their grandparents did.
—Clarissa Wei, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ladle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ladle
Noun
-
Return chicken and mushrooms to pan and cook, basting with sauce with a large spoon, until warmed through, about 1 minute.—
Hana Asbrink,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.—
Gretchen McKay,
Twin Cities,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Her nurse scooped her up and ran to put her into a cold bath, and slowly the motions faded.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Two coolers were used for scooping ice under a shaded tent, while the other two sat in direct sun.—
Melanie Fincher,
Southern Living,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ladle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ladle. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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