1
as in drilling
to make a hole or series of holes in
several signs along the highway were riddled by buckshot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in penetrating
to spread throughout
the newspaper exposé revealed a gaming commission that is riddled with corruption
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riddling
Verb
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Peterson didn’t disappoint either, drilling a top-10 Louisville team for 26 points on 15 shots, including six 3s in only 25 minutes, before sitting out Kansas’ second preseason game against Fort Hays.—
Sam Vecenie,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025 -
The decision on whether to open up the Arctic to further drilling should have been made by the Indigenous people of Alaska, Shea said.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Already, Chinese EVs have become top sellers in some emerging market countries and are increasingly penetrating the market in Europe, Britain, and Australia.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
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Lecter’s main power was his penetrating thinking and sustained intuiting.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Ask piercing questions that shift the way the community thinks as Mercury aligns with Pluto.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
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During The Real Housewives of Atlanta reunion, Eva turned heads with her glowing makeup, perfectly sculpted cheekbones, and piercing eyes.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Miami's defense has struggled to keep opponents out of the end zone, allowing 27 points per game, but the offense has struggled just as much punching it in themselves, with the Dolphins only scoring 20 points per game, both of which rank in the bottom third of the league.—
Shaun McAvoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
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Videos shared on social media showed federal agents pinning a man to the ground and punching him in the head.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Pinjar thus starts out with Hamida’s disgust, puncturing notions of maternal affection revered in mainstream South Asian (and other) narratives.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2025
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In a separate case in February, five Israeli reservists were charged over the beating and stabbing of a detainee, accused in an indictment of breaking the man’s ribs, puncturing his lung and tearing his rectum.—
Daniele Hamamdjian,
NBC news,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This isn’t Lovato’s first time poking fun at the meme.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
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Or use your finger, poking it about 2 inches into the soil.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
24 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Riddling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riddling. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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