1
as in fleck
a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part
a lizard with specks of white against a green body
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in glimmer
a very small amount
not a speck of explanation to accompany the book's pictures
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in particle
a very small piece
a speck of dust was preventing the laser from reading the disc
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to sprinkle
to mark with small spots especially unevenly
dirt that had specked the windows of the factory for ages
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of speck
Thad Moore, AJC.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Then suddenly, every speck of pollen, dust and grime is impossible to ignore.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 20 Apr. 2026
New York Times, 16 Nov. 2019
For all its strengths, though, the series proves a bit of a slog, at times, as the wheels turn along the dusty, blood-specked road to wherever this maze leads.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 19 Apr. 2018
See All Example Sentences for speck
Noun
The only public image of the attacker — or attackers — appears as a speck in a short, grainy clip of the explosion.
—Thad Moore, AJC.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Then suddenly, every speck of pollen, dust and grime is impossible to ignore.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
The 656-foot vessel, called the Golden Ray, has been lying since early September off a slice of the Georgia coast specked with resorts and sprawling high-dollar homes.
—New York Times, 16 Nov. 2019
For all its strengths, though, the series proves a bit of a slog, at times, as the wheels turn along the dusty, blood-specked road to wherever this maze leads.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 19 Apr. 2018
See All Example Sentences for speck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speck
Noun
-
Powerful new lasers and x-rays are enabling geologists like Korolev, a researcher at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City, to probe increasingly small flecks of minerals in deep diamonds.—
James Dinneen,
Scientific American,
14 May 2026
-
Our recipe studs egg filling with flecks of green onions, bacon, and a generous helping of Swiss cheese.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
5 May 2026
Noun
-
Murdock appears to have accepted his fate, but a glimmer of smile hints that this is not the end of his story.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
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With anti-slip soles, these lightweight sandals will keep you steady on your feet, while the simple yet elegant gold straps add a nice subtle glimmer and will keep your feet securely in place.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
5 May 2026
Noun
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What this revealed was that atomic nuclei heavier than the atomic nucleus of iron lost energy much more slowly than lighter particles.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
13 May 2026
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This setup would let researchers detect minute differences in the isotopes’ energy levels by examining nuances in the magnetic field created by each particle’s spinning nucleus, called the nuclear magnetic moment.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Add the chicken to the pan and sprinkle with garam masala.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 May 2026
-
If the figs aren’t perfectly ripe, sprinkle them with brown sugar and a dot of butter to help them along.—
Anna Grace Lee,
Vogue,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
These grow to form blotches that have lighter and darker zones appearing as irregular concentric rings that grow throughout the season until the entire leaf turns black and dies.—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
-
This was a black one with blotches faintly outlined in pale yellow, a beautiful but deadly looking animal.—
Dr. C. E. Kuschel,
Outdoor Life,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Tradwives are delivering the last shreds of domestic privacy, intimacy, and pleasure directly into the hands of late-stage capitalism.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 May 2026
-
As this sequence plays out, the social fabric further shreds and unravels; trust circles shrink and become ever more homogeneous; and hostility, mean spiritedness, and a general hardening take hold in society.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
The Iowa State product looks every bit of a near 6-foot-9 measurement, and started at right tackle for rookie units in 11-on-11 team periods.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
10 May 2026
-
In the end, Wave FC (6-3, 18 points) just had a little bit more firepower to sink Angel City FC (3-4, nine points) to a fourth consecutive loss.—
Damian Calhoun,
Daily News,
10 May 2026
Verb
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Shop and eat your way along Historic Downtown Fernandina Beach, the 50-block Victorian seaport village dotted with local eateries and eclectic shops.—
Lisa A. Beach,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
-
Six permanent outdoor works are dotted around the property, including a large rocket by Polish artist Goshka Macuga and a shocking pink tree, commissioned specifically for the island, by Pamela Rosenkranz.—
Fiona Sinclair Scott,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Speck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speck. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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