1
as in handful
a small number
a sprinkling of fans showed up at the airport
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in splash
a very small amount
just a sprinkling of experience with the computer program
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in spraying
to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on
sprinkle the newly seeded lawn with water
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in dotting
to mark with small spots especially unevenly
sprinkled the cake with bits of coconut
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 sprinkling
Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 26 Feb. 2026
Simple additions to meals, like sprinkling chia on yogurt, can easily boost your intake.
—Zia Sherrell, Health, 20 Feb. 2026
Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 17 Feb. 2026
Player props have become such a big and fun part of betting on the big game, so here are 11 that are worth sprinkling a few bucks on.
—Kc Joyner, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sprinkling
Noun
Ponding in the development will serve as stormwater storage as well as a supply of water for the lawn-sprinkling system, according to the application.
—Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 26 Feb. 2026
Simple additions to meals, like sprinkling chia on yogurt, can easily boost your intake.
—Zia Sherrell, Health, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
Avoid sprinkling coffee on the stems.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 17 Feb. 2026
Player props have become such a big and fun part of betting on the big game, so here are 11 that are worth sprinkling a few bucks on.
—Kc Joyner, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sprinkling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sprinkling
Noun
-
What would the men who spent the night not five miles from here, a hundred and eleven years ago, have given for a handful of these berries?—
Cree LeFavour,
New Yorker,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Lang and a handful of associates then carried the roasted pig, wrapped in tin foil, down York Ave.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Or, add a downspout splash block or a longer downspout hose to direct water away from your home's foundation.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The best part of the whole look is the splash of green from the flag patch.—
Johnny Flores Jr,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Next, the group plans to demand the county stop spraying along the Santa Ana River, which reaches the ocean on the south side of Huntington Beach.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
They’re also sold in a three-pack, so don’t be shy about spraying them on everyone’s hands.—
Terri Peters,
Parents,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Bright hot-air balloons dotting the pale sky over a striated desert.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Also like many others, the surgery Nyong’o had to remove the roughly 30 fibroids dotting her uterus at the time proved only a temporary fix, with upward of 50 redeveloping in the 12 years since.—
Beth Krietsch,
SELF,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The couple are interested in partnering with a philanthropic organization to help digitize the newspaper’s archives, which stretch back to 1928 — when the eight-page weekly tabloid, known then as the Palisadian, sold for just five cents a pop.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
-
After losing their home in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the couple, then 38, relocated to Boston with their children Marcelle and Hylton, seeking better economic and educational prospects.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The possibility of playing sports, an idea presented to him during rehab, provided a glimmer of hope.—
Nicole Acevedo,
NBC news,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The audience gets glimmers of Katie and Greg’s relationship, but the show is bogged down by dull characters like the policeman who seems to have it out for Greg, and even by its focus on Archie’s point of view, which is just a depiction of narcissism and a formulaic pseudo-midlife crisis.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
The Portland Timbers came calling in January, and kept peppering Colorado’s front office with offers, according to Bassett.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Signature Round Deep Oven offers plenty of features that justify the investment, like its easy-to-clean enamel that resists chipping, dulling, and staining, a tight-fitting lid that helps circulate steam, and an ergonomic knob for effortless lifting.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Feb. 2026
-
For a softer take, Kulfi Beauty’s lip staining oil in Caramel adds a warm nude sheen that feels both effortless and seasonally appropriate.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sprinkling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sprinkling. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
