Synonyms of spots

spots 1 of 2

noun

plural of spot

1

as in specks

a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part

in summer the white coat of the snow leopard is studded with brownish black spots

Synonyms & Similar Words

• specks
• dots
• blotches
• patches
• flecks
• stains
• splotches
• mottles
• speckles
• smudges
• pips
• eyespots
• points
• dapples
• smears
• freckles
• moles
• marks
• splashes
• blots
• blobs
• birthmarks
• spatters
• polka dots
• smutches

2

as in pickles

a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape

we're in a bit of a spot right now with our mortgage payments

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pickles
• predicaments
• dilemmas
• holes
• corners
• swamps
• jams
• binds
• boxes
• rabbit holes
• difficulties
• fixes
• quagmires
• impasses
• mires
• kettles of fish
• sticky wickets
• jackpots
• rattraps
• nodes
• crises
• plights
• soups
• hot waters
• troubles
• scrapes
• catch-22's
• straits
• pinches
• crossroads
• quandaries
• emergencies
• standstills
• logjams
• deadlocks
• clutches
• exigencies
• junctures
• halts
• stalemates

3

as in stains

a mark of guilt or disgrace

scandalous conduct that will forever be a spot upon the family name

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stains
• blots
• taints
• smudges
• stigmas
• guilts
• brands
• onuses
• slurs
• smirches
• shames
• corruptions
• disgraces
• discredit
• black eyes
• infamies
• ignominies
• depravities
• sins
• debaucheries
• obloquies
• odiums
• disreputes
• vices
• iniquities
• immoralities
• reproaches
• disesteems
• opprobriums
• dishonors

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• awards
• honors
• credits
• rights
• chastities
• purities
• goods
• modesties
• glories
• fames
• reputes
• renowns
• probities
• rectitudes
• honesties
• legitimacies
• integrities

4

as in splashes

a very small amount

had only a spot of stew for dinner, as he wasn't very hungry

Synonyms & Similar Words

• specks
• splashes
• glimmers
• touches
• sprinklings
• hints
• little
• bits
• licks
• traces
• shadows
• particles
• dabs
• streaks
• shades
• rays
• sparks
• flecks
• bites
• handfuls
• spatters
• crumbs
• nips
• slivers
• smells
• ounces
• drops
• shreds
• mites
• dashes
• suspicions
• peanuts
• drams
• parts
• aces
• smacks
• strains
• soupçons
• pinches
• scruples
• snaps
• driblets
• dots
• molecules
• patches
• scintillas
• portions
• grains
• sections
• skoshes
• smidgens
• granules
• drops in the bucket
• nibbles
• syllables
• doses
• tastes
• fragments
• atoms
• vestiges
• minima
• scraps
• jots
• motes
• semblances
• chips
• morsels
• minims
• flakes
• flyspecks
• nubbins
• whits
• scatterings
• tittles
• smatterings
• splinters
• modicums
• shards
• iotas
• hoots
• clippings
• shavings
• shivers
• smatters
• parings
• shots
• tatters
• smithereens

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• masses
• loads
• mountains
• piles
• quantities
• lots
• stacks
• barrels
• buckets
• deals
• heaps
• bushels
• bundles
• rafts
• abundances
• pecks
• messes
• gobs
• wads
• volumes
• reams
• fistfuls
• scads
• boatloads
• oodles
• wealths
• much
• lashings
• profusions
• potfuls
• excesses
• plenties
• surpluses
• passels
• slabs
• embarrassments
• overflows
• bonanzas
• chunks
• lumps
• overages
• superfluities
• hunks
• overmuch
• overabundances
• surfeits
• oversupplies
• overkills
• superabundances

5

as in locations

the area or space occupied by or intended for something

the cat grabbed my spot on the couch the minute I stood up

Synonyms & Similar Words

• locations
• places
• venues
• sites
• positions
• localities
• locales
• points
• loci
• scenes
• regions
• emplacements
• sections
• wheres
• precincts
• sectors
• theres
• heres

spots

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of spot

1

as in dots

to mark with small spots especially unevenly

to give the effect of sunlight on water, the artist spotted the lake in his painting with flecks of gold paint

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dots
• sprinkles
• stains
• flecks
• specks
• dyes
• mottles
• freckles
• peppers
• stripes
• blotches
• splotches
• speckles
• marbles
• dapples
• stipples
• shoots
• blots
• streaks
• bars
• bands
• intersperses
• studs
• spatters
• sets
• bespatters

2

as in notices

to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes

I spotted both of them as they tried to sneak out the back door

Synonyms & Similar Words

• notices
• eyes
• sees
• sights
• regards
• views
• remarks
• notes
• witnesses
• spies
• looks (at)
• watches
• perceives
• catches
• observes
• distinguishes
• discerns
• beholds
• espies
• marks
• gets a load of
• sets eyes on
• lays eyes on
• picks out
• identifies
• scans
• descries
• attends (to)
• considers
• surveys
• glimpses
• studies
• minds
• makes out
• inspects
• heeds
• scrutinizes
• examines
• picks up
• peers (at)
• glances (at)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignores
• passes over
• neglects
• disregards
• misses
• overpasses
• overlooks

3

as in sprays

to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on

the TV networks had spotted reporters all over the state for the election

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sprays
• dots
• sprinkles
• peppers
• strews
• scatters
• dusts
• sows
• bestrews
• drizzles
• studs
• blankets
• flecks
• dapples
• speckles
• stipples
• spatters
• bespatters

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of spots

Noun

Cook, undisturbed, 2 minutes, then toss and continue to cook, undisturbed, until vegetables are charred in spots and tender, 1–2 minutes more. —Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Apr. 2026

Naperville Central junior Ryan Pall has seen action at first base and catcher and has gotten at-bats at several spots in the batting order. —Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026

The only spots that avoided a hard freeze were downtown Baltimore City and areas along and near Chesapeake Bay. —Steven Sosna, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026

During the World Cup, only about 4,000 of those spots will be available to general ticket holders, according to local reporting. —Taylor Haught, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026

Spacing houses out in different areas throughout your garden will provide more nesting spots for bees and will also reduce the risk that potential bee diseases and pests spread from one bee house to another. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2026

Prioritize Central and Eastern Europe, where countries like Albania, Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey remain more affordable than popular spots like England or France. —Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2026

Travel + Leisure’s broader list also featured popular spots including Thailand, Albania and Costa Rica, but none of those cracked the top five for safety. —Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026

Swiss cities nabbed nearly half the spots on the top 10 list, clearly making Switzerland one of the most expensive countries in the world. —Amelia Mularz, Architectural Digest, 14 Apr. 2026

Verb

Outside, a kid spots the bus and shouts. —Emmanuel Igunza, NPR, 15 Apr. 2026

Tom Verducci at Sports Illustrated spots eight early effects of ABS. —Tim Rohan, NBC news, 14 Apr. 2026

On the first day of high school, introverted Okuto Nakumara spots his classmate Aiki Hirose in the crowd of an assembly, and immediately falls head over heels for him. —Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 3 Apr. 2026

In the clip, posted by Juls Piles (@julspiles), the 21-year-old can be seen swimming away from a boat to retrieve her floatie in the sea, when her brother suddenly spots a shark in the water. —Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026

With Dylan preoccupied, Greg heads to the bar and spots Cristle. —Erin Qualey, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026

Anyone who spots Samba can call the dedicated 24/7 hotline at 07436 167401. —Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2026

Anyone who spots Samba can contact the zoo’s 24/7 hotline at 07436 167401. —Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026

Searching the room for clues, Hole spots a decaying hand arranged on the shelf with the thumb removed and the index finger pointing upwards — to the fifth floor. —K.j. Yossman, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026