specks 1 of 2

noun

plural of speck
1
as in flecks
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

Relevance
2
as in splashes
a very small amount not a speck of explanation to accompany the book's pictures

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in particles
a very small piece a speck of dust was preventing the laser from reading the disc

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

specks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of speck
as in sprinkles
to mark with small spots especially unevenly dirt that had specked the windows of the factory for ages

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 specks
Noun
Six months later, there was hope of reconciliation as sovereignty talks opened between the governments over the specks in the ocean that had been part of the British Empire for more than a century. — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 July 2026 Bellinger, once a babyface, now sports some light specks of gray. — Johnny Flores Jr, New York Times, 15 July 2026 One released a chaff cascade—hell’s own monsoon manifesting as specks of light, sound, and EM pulses falling through the hanging garden. — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 26 June 2026 Kansas City isn't much of a pedestrian city, but now, blue and green specks of fans dot the sidewalks, like wildflowers poking through a crack in the pavement. — Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 June 2026 Flash frames, scratches and specks of dust pop up randomly on the screen. — Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026 This looks like tiny black or reddish-brown specks that resemble coffee grounds. — Emily Hayes, Martha Stewart, 9 June 2026 But such interludes add up to small specks of stormclouds in the show’s otherwise sunny skies. — Alison Herman, Variety, 2 June 2026 Most astronomers now agree that each of these minuscule crimson specks—which bear a striking resemblance to enormous, faraway stars—actually has a burgeoning black hole at its center. — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 27 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for specks
  1. flecks
  2. splashes
  3. particles
  4. sprinkles
  5. dots
  6. glimmers
  7. bits
  8. stains
Noun
  • One image of her right knee showed flecks of blue plastic that prosecutors said came from an inflatable pool Burke used to collect blood while dismembering her body.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 July 2026
  • Someone unfamiliar with salt bread might even suspect a major baking error, seeing a questionably smooth croissant that entirely missed the lamination process, adorned with only a few flecks of salt acting as its saving grace.
    — Candy Hom, AJC.com, 19 July 2026
Definition of flecks
Noun
  • Thoughtful splashes of color are fine tuned throughout the space, like sunny yellow cabinetry livening up the kitchen and window sills sporting a punchy shade of green.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 23 July 2026
  • Four-poster beds and traditional wicker and mahogany interiors preserve the building’s original beauty, while splashes of color in the artwork and brightly hued soft furnishings add character.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 July 2026
Definition of splashes
Noun
  • Giant fans at the air bases would blow the pale particles around, Jack said, putting him directly in the path of the chemical.
    — Nicole Borman, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
  • Collisions among these particles separate positive and negative electric charges within the cloud.
    — Yunyao Li, The Conversation, 30 July 2026
Definition of particles
Verb
  • Kemery sprinkles the tiny seeds either in late fall or very early spring, when there’s still a chance of frost, since cold spells offer the best germination.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026
  • Thomson sprinkles critique throughout his book like seasoning unevenly applied to a gamey piece of meat.
    — Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
Definition of sprinkles
Noun
  • Kathryn and Brandon Mulcahy—owners of Keystone Kitchens in Maryville, Tennessee—have seen an uptick in clusters of four shapes, ranging from dots to small crosses.
    — Kelsey Mulvey, Architectural Digest, 27 July 2026
  • But instead of leaning into Minnie Mouse territory, this A-line midiskirt looks more sophisticated and grown-up with its small dots, satiny finish, and lightly ruffled hemline.
    — Alyssa Morin, InStyle, 25 July 2026
Definition of dots
Noun
  • But take a closer look and the report actually provides glimmers of hope.
    — TerDawn DeBoe, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • There were glimmers of form from Yoane Wissa (DR Congo) and Anthony Elanga (Sweden), both of whom need to hit the ground running in the coming season.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of glimmers
Noun
  • Sea bass crudo is a refreshing start, the succulent slices of fish interspersed with fresh mango and bits of teardrop pepper.
    — Connie Ogle July 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
  • This naturally generated probabilistic bits, or p-bits which aren’t fixed as zeros or ones, but fluctuate according to incoming data.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 30 July 2026
Definition of bits
Verb
  • When that protective finish gets damaged, the toilet actually stains easier and is harder to keep clean over time.
    — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 24 May 2026
  • What Sacks doesn’t get is that by financing and diplomatically supporting Israel, our country makes the crimes of the Israeli government possible, which stains America’s reputation in the world and drains our Treasury.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Definition of stains

Browse Nearby Words

speckling
specks
specs
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Specks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/specks. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on specks

Nglish: Translation of specks for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All