riddled

verb

past tense of riddle
1
as in drilled
to make a hole or series of holes in several signs along the highway were riddled by buckshot

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in suffused
to spread throughout the newspaper exposé revealed a gaming commission that is riddled with corruption

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 riddled Roads are riddled with potholes, tens of thousands of streetlights are out, and water and power bills are surging. — Jenny Jarvie follow, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026 The landscape is riddled with different access barriers, both individually and societally. — Kristen Lopez, IndieWire, 2 Nov. 2026 Kenya’s own top-flight football league and national teams, for instance, have been riddled with challenges ranging from leadership wrangles to payment delays. — Martin K.n Siele, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2026 The fashion production line is riddled with nature dependencies like this. — Bella Webb, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026 The Butcher wins with a payment of livestock, only to find his Wicker Wife is riddled with sharp thorns. — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 28 Oct. 2026 The appellate court then lambasted their report as being riddled with flaws. — Justin Garcia, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026 The Warriors seem to have every season riddled with injuries. — Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026 The neighborhood/area The Berkshires, Massachusetts is riddled with dozens of small towns, each with their own unique set of splendid restaurants, hotels, and attractions—and all within reasonable driving distance from one another. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riddled
  1. drilled
  2. suffused
  3. pierced
  4. penetrated
  5. punched
  6. permeated
  7. punctured
  8. flooded
Verb
  • Quinn altered his approach to organized team activities and training camp, and drilled situational football incessantly in an effort to emphasize the details.
    — Tashan Reed, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Next, Wyatt got a special teams boost when kicker Joshua Acevedo drilled a 41-yard field goal for the Chaparrals.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of drilled
Verb
  • The bar serves up a lighter menu of small bites, like tempura black cod with ginger-sesame dipping sauce and succulent local halibut suffused with cilantro and basil.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Even after users log off, the material world is suffused with spirit.
    — Sam Kestenbaum, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of suffused
Verb
  • The bullet pierced the rear passenger window of Irvine’s car, striking him in the right shoulder and causing his death.
    — Kelsie Cairns , Maria Paronich, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Cook for 20 minutes, or until the squash falls apart when pierced with a fork.
    — Candy Hom, AJC.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of pierced
Verb
  • And Marchand learned that the savanna penetrated more deeply into the rainforest in south-central Ivory Coast.
    — Thomas J Bassett, The Conversation, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The Biden administration designated Tren de Aragua as a transnational criminal organization in 2024 following requests from Republicans who said the group’s members have penetrated the southern border.
    — Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of penetrated
Verb
  • The Miz pumped his fist twice and punched the air walking off the mound.
    — Rob Maaddi, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The departure of Weil’s M&A chief, Michael Aiello, along with a team of partners, to Cravath last month punched a hole in the firm’s billings and rattled those left behind.
    — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of punched
Verb
  • Despite the uncharacteristically prompt arrivals, an unhurried air of European hospitality permeated the event, which was hosted by chairman Leonardo Ferragamo and creative director Maximilian Davis.
    — Emily Tannenbaum, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Taika Waititi’s adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s 2021 novel Klara and the Sun, starring Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams, was developed years before AI arrived in full force and the discussion about its potential permeated Hollywood.
    — Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of permeated
Verb
  • State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said the ammonia tank was found and did not appear to be punctured or leaking.
    — Eduardo Cuevas, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The sullen tribute to Payne settled the room into a cool near-silence, punctured by quiet gasps and muffled crying.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of punctured
Verb
  • The swells flooded parts of the Pacific Coast Highway, forcing the closure of multiple stretches of the road in Huntington Beach.
    — Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The town was flooded when the Nova Kakhovka Dam collapsed in 2023.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of flooded

Browse Nearby Words

riddle
riddled
riddled (out)
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Cite this Entry

“Riddled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riddled. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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