as in to dot
to mark with small spots especially unevenly
the sunlight falling through the lace curtain stippled her face
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stipple
The yellowing, eventually turning to brown, starts with stippling or tiny dots on the foliage where mites have pierced the leaves’ epidermis with their stylets or sucking mouthparts.
—
Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 20 Sep. 2025
Spider mites cause yellowing or stippling on the leaves.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2025
Swipe directly onto the hollows of your cheeks and temples, then blend up and out with a stippling brush to keep the lift high and defined.
—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 12 July 2025
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One A game of vivid Canadian wilderness stippled with salmon sunsets and flashes of evergreens, The Long Dark offers an achingly beautiful survival experience, but a brutal one nonetheless.
—Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for stipple
Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 20 Sep. 2025
Spider mites cause yellowing or stippling on the leaves.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2025
Swipe directly onto the hollows of your cheeks and temples, then blend up and out with a stippling brush to keep the lift high and defined.
—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 12 July 2025
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One A game of vivid Canadian wilderness stippled with salmon sunsets and flashes of evergreens, The Long Dark offers an achingly beautiful survival experience, but a brutal one nonetheless.
—Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for stipple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stipple
Verb
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Set within a sprawling Mediterranean estate dotted with olive trees, jasmine, and prickly pear, the property feels serene and secluded.—
Angela Tafoya,
Vogue,
9 Mar. 2026
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The historic district is just a few blocks wide, with the Gulf on one side, the Intracoastal on the other, and a walkable little downtown dotted with shops and galleries in between.—
Carrie Honaker,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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From March to May, the hiking trails are sprinkled with vibrant yellow desert marigolds, deep purple lupines, and bright red and orange Indian paintbrush blooms, among other varieties.—
Annie Daly,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2026
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The chain has more than a few Charlotte restaurants with spots in Madison Park, Steele Creek and East Charlotte, plus others sprinkled across the metro — Concord, Kannapolis, Fort Mill and Rock Hill (the latter two opened in 2024).—
Tanasia Kenney,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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It’s been dried, stripped of bark, sanded to silky smoothness, stained, sealed and painstakingly carved.—
Kathy Gurchiek,
AJC.com,
10 Mar. 2026
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While standard cast iron typically requires seasoning to both preserve and maintain its quality and help prevent food from sticking, this cast iron is equipped with a black matte satin interior enamel coating that’s made to resist cracking, chipping, and staining.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The marbling effect of this manicure aggregates the polish at the tip of each nail, but diffuses the border of the nail tips and pulls the color down towards the base in a watercolor style.—
Sunnah Rasheed,
InStyle,
24 Jan. 2026
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Prime rib is a desirable cut of beef, known for its rich flavor and marbling from fat.—
Sarah Bence,
Verywell Health,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As members of the plumbers' union, Local 130, plowed through the Chicago River, dyeing it a glowing green, thousands lined Wacker Drive and the bridges to catch a glimpse of how the process is done.—
Marissa Sulek,
CBS News,
14 Mar. 2026
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Leave a few eggs partially dyed and then cover just the colored part with glitter for a cool effect.—
Annabelle Canela,
Parents,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stipple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stipple. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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