as in spoons
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
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as in scoops
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 ladles
Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 9 Dec. 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
Bowls of punch arrive laced with unusual flavors—jasmine tea, oak moss, and cardamom—served in ladles rather than glasses.
—Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Noun
The stainless steel rest not only has a slot for holding cooking utensils like ladles, spatulas, or spoons, but it’s also designed with a special slot to hold pot and pan lids.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 9 Dec. 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
Bowls of punch arrive laced with unusual flavors—jasmine tea, oak moss, and cardamom—served in ladles rather than glasses.
—Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
Once the brine is boiling, Hilarides carefully ladles it in each jar over the ingredients.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ladles
Noun
-
Install hooks to store pans, lids, or serving and measuring spoons, or add a slim rack to stash pot lids or boxes of foil and plastic wrap.—
Bridget Reed Morawski,
Architectural Digest,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Gentle washing, quick drying, and occasional oiling keep wooden spoons clean, antimicrobial, and usable for many years.—
Bridget Shirvell,
Martha Stewart,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
At the end of lunch, the entire crew scoops their leftover food into a compost bin, and then neatly stacks their containers on top of each others.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Biel also showed off the back of the dress—or rather, lack thereof, as the dress scoops down to just above her hips.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
4 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ladles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ladles. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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