as in sprinkling
to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on
sprayed the lawn with pesticides
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 spraying
Always follow product instructions exactly, and avoid spraying when beneficial insects such as bees or ladybugs are present in the area.
—
Derek Carwood, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Jan. 2026
If detected, they can be controlled by spraying the camellias with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026
Initially, scientists tried spraying liquid algae, but the method was too reliant on heavy infrastructure.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 Jan. 2026
There are scenes of water spraying down the crowd in the July heat and fans lounging around in anticipation.
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 27 Dec. 2025
Borrow a tip from scuba divers and use anti-fog drops or wipes, or try mixing baby shampoo with water and spraying it on the lens.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 24 Dec. 2025
Frustrated after one too many countertop blender mishaps spilling on her clothes or spraying the contents onto the ceiling, Nosrat decided to stick with the stick blender while developing a recipe for butternut squash and green curry soup.
—Karla Walsh, CNN Money, 23 Dec. 2025
In a Facebook post, officials said a security camera recorded the man spraying the dogs in their faces while they were secured in their yard.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2025
After spraying this before a braid takedown, my hair was visibly softer and easier to mange through tangles.
—Caché McClay, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
Derek Carwood, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Jan. 2026
If detected, they can be controlled by spraying the camellias with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026
Initially, scientists tried spraying liquid algae, but the method was too reliant on heavy infrastructure.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 Jan. 2026
There are scenes of water spraying down the crowd in the July heat and fans lounging around in anticipation.
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 27 Dec. 2025
Borrow a tip from scuba divers and use anti-fog drops or wipes, or try mixing baby shampoo with water and spraying it on the lens.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 24 Dec. 2025
Frustrated after one too many countertop blender mishaps spilling on her clothes or spraying the contents onto the ceiling, Nosrat decided to stick with the stick blender while developing a recipe for butternut squash and green curry soup.
—Karla Walsh, CNN Money, 23 Dec. 2025
In a Facebook post, officials said a security camera recorded the man spraying the dogs in their faces while they were secured in their yard.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2025
After spraying this before a braid takedown, my hair was visibly softer and easier to mange through tangles.
—Caché McClay, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spraying
Verb
-
Cameras caught a clergy member sprinkling a little holy water on the Acrisure Stadium turf about two hours before kickoff on Sunday.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Jan. 2026
-
In the second season of Andor, Tony Gilroy continued his indictment of rising fascism, sprinkling the sci-fi tropes with grandstanding political drama, the impending doom of an action thriller, and a helping of French-resistance imagery, then tossing it all in a blender.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Burn scars dotting our state from Paradise to Pacific Palisades show clearly his failure to prioritize fire prevention.—
Brian Jones,
Oc Register,
6 Jan. 2026
-
The city is in a valley, so nearly every building has a view—on this January morning, of fires dotting the hills and little, loud aircraft flying in all directions, like a mosquito swarm on a hot night.—
Gisela Salim-Peyer,
The Atlantic,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Factor in Rodgers' league-leading time-to-throw abilities, and defenses don't have time to be as exotic, which enables the Steelers to methodically drive down the field, often by peppering their running backs near the line of scrimmage.—
Austin Mock,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
But their decision won't be made before peppering the final three with questions at the final Tribal Council.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spraying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spraying. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share