as in sprinkling
to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on
sprayed the lawn with pesticides
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Recent Examples of spraying
Avoid spraying when wind speeds exceed 5 miles per hour and use a low spray pressure to increase droplet size, as larger particles are less likely to move with the wind.
—
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 29 May 2026
In the end, efforts to cool the crippled tank by spraying water on it were believed to have helped slow down the reaction enough to prevent an explosion or massive rupture in the tank that could have sent toxic chemicals flowing into waterways and the ocean.
—Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2026
Crews continued spraying water on the tank until the interior temperature stabilized at 92 degrees, down from 100 degrees over the weekend.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2026
Fire officials said Tuesday morning the temperature of the overheated tank with 7,000 gallons of volatile, flammable methyl methacrylate remained stable overnight at 92 degrees as firefighters removed a ground hose that had been spraying water over the tank since Friday.
—Nathaniel Percy, Oc Register, 26 May 2026
Once the raid began, supporters attempted to resist the police by spraying them with fire extinguishers, but were quickly stopped.
—ABC News, 24 May 2026
The district also may conduct targeted ground spraying to reduce adult mosquito populations.
—Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 20 May 2026
Ramsbottom was at his desk when the drone smashed through the workspace's tin ceiling, spraying shrapnel in all directions, and lodging a chunk of glass in the back of his head.
—Michael Kaplan, CBS News, 19 May 2026
Footage of police pepper-spraying crowds.
—Shane O’Neill, Washington Post, 18 May 2026
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 29 May 2026
In the end, efforts to cool the crippled tank by spraying water on it were believed to have helped slow down the reaction enough to prevent an explosion or massive rupture in the tank that could have sent toxic chemicals flowing into waterways and the ocean.
—Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2026
Crews continued spraying water on the tank until the interior temperature stabilized at 92 degrees, down from 100 degrees over the weekend.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2026
Fire officials said Tuesday morning the temperature of the overheated tank with 7,000 gallons of volatile, flammable methyl methacrylate remained stable overnight at 92 degrees as firefighters removed a ground hose that had been spraying water over the tank since Friday.
—Nathaniel Percy, Oc Register, 26 May 2026
Once the raid began, supporters attempted to resist the police by spraying them with fire extinguishers, but were quickly stopped.
—ABC News, 24 May 2026
The district also may conduct targeted ground spraying to reduce adult mosquito populations.
—Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 20 May 2026
Ramsbottom was at his desk when the drone smashed through the workspace's tin ceiling, spraying shrapnel in all directions, and lodging a chunk of glass in the back of his head.
—Michael Kaplan, CBS News, 19 May 2026
Footage of police pepper-spraying crowds.
—Shane O’Neill, Washington Post, 18 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spraying
Verb
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Leaving wet grass clippings on your lawn or sprinkling them over garden beds can create a breeding ground for fungal diseases and block airflow, creating a layer of humidity, says Handley.—
Alexandra Kelly,
Martha Stewart,
22 May 2026
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And Crawford has been sprinkling in a secret catchphrase no one has caught on to yet.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Among the historic attractions dotting Route 66, there may be none more hapless and ill fated as the Aztec Hotel in Monrovia.—
Assistant Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
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With one dotting tool, one sponge, and one nail art brush, the world is your manicure oyster.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Hezbollah upped its campaign as well, peppering Israeli troops in southern Lebanon and areas of northern Israel with drones and rocket attacks, according to statements from the group.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2026
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Two years ago, Guardiola sent Kyle Walker to invite Warnock up to his office after the long-serving manager had been working on a television broadcast, and started peppering him with questions.—
Sam Lee,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spraying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spraying. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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