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
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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
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
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Recent Examples of specks
Essence, 27 Jan. 2026
Volcanic specks mushroom up from topaz seas, like a real estate brochure for The Man With The Golden Gun.
—Tristan Rutherford, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2026
With the help of NASA's $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), astronomers first discovered the mysterious specks of light known as little red dots at the end of 2022.
—Charles Q. Choi, Space.com, 14 Jan. 2026
Microcalcifications appear as white specks and may indicate cancer in some cases.
—Lindsey Leake, NBC news, 3 Jan. 2026
There were also no visible specks of spices.
—Eddie Fontanez, AZCentral.com, 12 Dec. 2025
The good news is that in most cases, those little specks are completely harmless and actually a sign of a well-aged, flavorful cheese.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 5 Dec. 2025
These black specks show up each autumn, congregating on my screens and windowsill, and complicating my desire to open the window on a pleasant day.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2025
The vacuum is dedicated to getting even the tiniest specks of dirt, circling back two or three times until the area is spotless.
—Terri Williams, Architectural Digest, 3 Nov. 2025
Noun
Also known as sunspots, solar lentigines, or liver spots, age spots are additional specks and bits of pigment caused by excessive sun exposure.
—Essence, 27 Jan. 2026
Volcanic specks mushroom up from topaz seas, like a real estate brochure for The Man With The Golden Gun.
—Tristan Rutherford, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2026
With the help of NASA's $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), astronomers first discovered the mysterious specks of light known as little red dots at the end of 2022.
—Charles Q. Choi, Space.com, 14 Jan. 2026
Microcalcifications appear as white specks and may indicate cancer in some cases.
—Lindsey Leake, NBC news, 3 Jan. 2026
There were also no visible specks of spices.
—Eddie Fontanez, AZCentral.com, 12 Dec. 2025
The good news is that in most cases, those little specks are completely harmless and actually a sign of a well-aged, flavorful cheese.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 5 Dec. 2025
These black specks show up each autumn, congregating on my screens and windowsill, and complicating my desire to open the window on a pleasant day.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2025
The vacuum is dedicated to getting even the tiniest specks of dirt, circling back two or three times until the area is spotless.
—Terri Williams, Architectural Digest, 3 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for specks
Noun
-
The remaining scenes draw on familiar teenage horror tropes, with flecks of fresh insight.—
Natalia Winkelman,
IndieWire,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Even just sitting in a humid cabinet can lead to flecks of rust on a cast-iron pan.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Not for escapism, per se – Roseberry’s Schiaparelli show, one of his finest and weirdest to date, vibrated with implications about our world’s rigid definition of beauty, with horns, feathers and splashes of neon – but for indulgence.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Add the carrot sauce and a couple splashes of pasta water, and toss to combine.—
Hailee Catalano,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
With radiation detectors lining the insides of those tanks, the properties of the incoming particles can be reconstructed.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Jan. 2026
-
If two particles come from related sources, their relative momenta carry a fingerprint of that relationship.—
Tejasri Gururaj,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Much like Knives Out, the movie takes a much more lighthearted approach and sprinkles humor throughout.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
15 Dec. 2025
-
The shareable treat features Galactic Brownie ice cream, fudge drizzle, M&Ms candies, and Halloween sprinkles atop a double fudge brownie crust.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In Powderhorn Park, protesters stream endlessly across the frozen lake, Bruegelian black dots on the flat, white ice.—
Katherine Packert Burke,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Deer print nails give classic polka dots a more rustic, fanciful feel as the precise dots are replaced with freehand splotches.—
Annie Blay-Tettey,
Allure,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In non-theme park play, the game revolves around Illumineers, glimmers, inklands, a lorebook and other buzzwords and actions that are important to players.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Jan. 2026
-
There’s still a long way to go to restore his status as a promising prospect, but there have been glimmers of hope the last couple weeks.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Rather than turn them into a harsh awakening, however, writer-director Walter Thompson-Hernández makes a refreshing point of holding fast to big dreams and bits of poetry anyway — not to deny the realities of life, but to embrace it in all its bittersweet richness.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The older one does Warners cartoon bits, really old-fashioned, cheap-ass funny vaudeville stuff.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This mixture attacks stains a bit stronger than the water solution.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Season with salt and lots of pepper and bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking often, until the turmeric stains the mixture a wonderful golden color and the liquid starts to steam, about 3 minutes.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Specks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/specks. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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