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
Written and directed by Swift, the clip sees the singer fall in love with a fellow loner (Domhnall Gleeson) after spraying herself with a love potion fittingly called Opalite.
—
Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Feb. 2026
Low Water Pressure If water bubbles out of sprinkler heads instead of spraying out, this often indicates a problem with water pressure.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 2026
In addition, scores of videos and news accounts have been circulating this month showing ICE agents pepper-spraying residents or throwing them to the ground in California, Arizona, Minnesota and elsewhere.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 3 Feb. 2026
Dipping, wiping, or spraying the surface of pruning tools is sufficient to disinfect blades between plants or pruning cuts.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Feb. 2026
Two staffers at the same facility were indicted last year after allegedly pepper-spraying an 87-year-old dementia patient.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026
Video of the incident shows a man spraying an unidentified substance at Omar from a syringe.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Kazmierczak was sitting in the audience and ran up to her, spraying her with a substance and yelling, the complaint says.
—Aki Nace, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Near the end of her speech, a man in the front row jumped up and ran towards her before spraying her shirt with a syringe of an unknown, strong-smelling substance, according to C-SPAN footage.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Feb. 2026
Low Water Pressure If water bubbles out of sprinkler heads instead of spraying out, this often indicates a problem with water pressure.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 2026
In addition, scores of videos and news accounts have been circulating this month showing ICE agents pepper-spraying residents or throwing them to the ground in California, Arizona, Minnesota and elsewhere.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 3 Feb. 2026
Dipping, wiping, or spraying the surface of pruning tools is sufficient to disinfect blades between plants or pruning cuts.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Feb. 2026
Two staffers at the same facility were indicted last year after allegedly pepper-spraying an 87-year-old dementia patient.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026
Video of the incident shows a man spraying an unidentified substance at Omar from a syringe.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Kazmierczak was sitting in the audience and ran up to her, spraying her with a substance and yelling, the complaint says.
—Aki Nace, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Near the end of her speech, a man in the front row jumped up and ran towards her before spraying her shirt with a syringe of an unknown, strong-smelling substance, according to C-SPAN footage.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spraying
Verb
-
And also sprinkling in those moments of Keisha.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Or more like an Aromatisse sprinkling the scent of perfume around?—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Smaller fires have already been lit, dotting the plaza.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Instead of dotting the same black scrim, like pinholes in a two-dimensional theater backdrop, the stars were scattered through space at dramatically varying distances, a vast swarm of them filling every last corner of an even vaster, more numinous, and emphatically three-dimensional darkness.—
Michael Pollan,
The Atlantic,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
All of the familiar tropes are there, from the numerous pop songs peppering the action (including one by Phil Collins, just to remind you of Miami Vice) to the profane banter between the two main characters to the endless fights, shootouts and chases to the colorful villain.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The Hirons spent most of Christmas Eve peppering the area around 119th and Mission Road with signs.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
17 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spraying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spraying. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
