1
as in dotted
marked with spots
the spotted tablecloth clashed with the stripes on the wallpaper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in colored
having blotches of two or more colors
not surprisingly, the white cow and black bull had a spotted calf
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in sprinkled
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
2
as in noticed
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in sprayed
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
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 spotted
Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 8 Aug. 2025
Into the depths of a forest teeming with spotted creatures, each of them full of stealth and danger and desire enough to kill a man.
—Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025
Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
According to the lawsuit, TSA agents first spotted the money in Brown’s carry-on bag during security screening.
—Eve Chen, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spotted
Adjective
The shoe got endorsements from celebrities early on after their rerelease, with stars like Dua Lipa, Emily Ratajkowski and more spotted wearing it.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 8 Aug. 2025
Into the depths of a forest teeming with spotted creatures, each of them full of stealth and danger and desire enough to kill a man.
—Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025
Verb
Actress Emma Watson was spotted in Tokyo sporting Uniqlo threads.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
According to the lawsuit, TSA agents first spotted the money in Brown’s carry-on bag during security screening.
—Eve Chen, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spotted
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spotted
Adjective
-
Sure, that might help convince Donovan Mitchell to sign on the dotted line when a contract extension gets placed in front of him.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
6 Feb. 2026
-
And eventually, the Greek forward signed on the dotted line to remain in Milwaukee.—
Eric Nehm,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Sparkling Orange Nº1, a low-intervention, organic orange (orange colored due to skin contact, no oranges used) bubbly from Alsace that pops with orange peel and juicy peach, then drifts into jasmine, herbs, and gentle spice.—
Lanee Lee,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Run the cycle again, warm for colored towels and hot for white towels.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Their names are sprinkled throughout the documents — even after heavy redactions.—
Daniel Wine,
CNN Money,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Several references about Louisville, where the author briefly lived, are sprinkled throughout the classic tale.—
Kirby Adams,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But reexamining this dot in light of ongoing LRD fever, the team noticed something strange.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Commeree also noticed that her social media algorithm shifted to show more birth emergencies after viewing the content.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The man told officers two males entered his unlocked apartment and sprayed him with a fire extinguisher, according to police.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Wash immediately after being sprayed with the solution, and don’t get any in your eyes.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The whole rug needs to get wet or colors in the fiber could migrate and result in a blotched look.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2025
-
Its leaves are deciduous and sometimes white-blotched.—
Howard Garrett,
Dallas News,
16 Aug. 2021
Verb
-
Over time, plastic containers can become scratched, stained, or damaged, and that starts to pose a food safety risk, explains Dragomir Markovic, food scientist and founder of Wise Intake.—
Taylor Tobin,
Southern Living,
5 Feb. 2026
-
His house in Minneapolis sits between two neighborhoods stained by bloodshed where Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti were killed by federal immigration officers during a surge of immigration enforcement that has ignited outrage and protests across the country.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
2 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
During the trial, jurors learned about grim Google searches Brian had made after his wife died, including how to saw a body and how to clean blood off of wood floors.—
Nicole Acosta,
PEOPLE,
18 Dec. 2025
-
Fanatics shared the moment Tennessee Titans first overall pick, quarterback Cam Ward, saw Brady pop up on the screen to give him some wise words.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spotted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spotted. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
