as in sprinkling
to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on
sprayed the lawn with pesticides
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spraying
In the Ring video, a person dressed in black pants and a gray T-shirt, with a gray sweatshirt draped over his shoulder, chases two dogs down a residential street, spraying them with pellets from what looks like a gel gun.
—
Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
Ahead, find the 18 fragrances InStyle editors are spraying on with abandon this spring.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 9 Apr. 2026
Use smooth, sweeping motions and work in sections rather than randomly spraying.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
Stults recommends vacuuming first, wiping with a paper towel, then spraying and wiping with a cleaner.
—Alora Bopray, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
Both experts suggest tackling odors with white vinegar, too, either while cleaning or spraying it in the air.
—Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 2 Apr. 2026
Airport Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) teams were standing by on the runway and video showed crew spraying down the aircraft.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026
He is also accused of spraying another person in the face with Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) Spray without legal justification, and then failing to render medical aid.
—Adam Thompson, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Mixing a small amount of dish soap with water and spraying it on grasshoppers can kill them by damaging their outer layer.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
Ahead, find the 18 fragrances InStyle editors are spraying on with abandon this spring.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 9 Apr. 2026
Use smooth, sweeping motions and work in sections rather than randomly spraying.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
Stults recommends vacuuming first, wiping with a paper towel, then spraying and wiping with a cleaner.
—Alora Bopray, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
Both experts suggest tackling odors with white vinegar, too, either while cleaning or spraying it in the air.
—Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 2 Apr. 2026
Airport Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) teams were standing by on the runway and video showed crew spraying down the aircraft.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026
He is also accused of spraying another person in the face with Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) Spray without legal justification, and then failing to render medical aid.
—Adam Thompson, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Mixing a small amount of dish soap with water and spraying it on grasshoppers can kill them by damaging their outer layer.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spraying
Verb
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To add chia seeds to your diet, try sprinkling them over your oatmeal or yogurt parfait.—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
2 Apr. 2026
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Neutralize Trash Can Odors Cut odors from the kitchen trash by periodically sprinkling baking soda in as waste accumulates.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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To recreate at home, use varying sizes of dotting tools, making sure to let each layer dry before applying the next.—
Georgia Day,
Vogue,
8 Apr. 2026
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Come winter, beach towns like this one dotting the Atlantic Coast stretch of Florida surrounding Fort Lauderdale have long brimmed with French Canadian tourists and other snowbirds who arrive for warmth and sunshine.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Goldeneyes were the dominant side to start, peppering Osborne with shots early and outshooting the visitors 12-5 in the first period, but struggled to handle New York’s push in the second.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
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Dover-Sherborn/Weston came out with a major spark to start the third down 4-1, peppering Tigers goalie Jacob Dangel with eight shots in the first three minutes.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spraying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spraying. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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