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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The loudest roar of the day coming when the punter dotted a shot into the 1-yard line.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
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The cameras will be dotted throughout all the districts, from Glassell Park and Chinatown, through South Los Angeles, Koreatown, Playa Vista, Chatsworth and Lincoln Heights.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The younger two brothers float paper boats in the kitchen sink and Jeremy plays along, sprinkling flour on their heads—but making the kitchen a total mess.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
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There are many more overt examples of Silicon Valley misbehavior sprinkled through the premiere episode of The Audacity, but the essence of Jonathan Glatzer’s tech-world satire may be in this digital billboard that appears on the side of the road.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Being a part of Infowars was not just a temporary sacrifice, but an irrevocable black mark on all of us, and according to Jones, working alongside him would forever stain our résumés and limit our prospects.—
Josh Owens,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
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Make sure the deck is completely dry before staining or sealing it.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The lack of marbling, fat, and bone diminishes the beefy taste of these cuts.—
Sheena Chihak,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Apr. 2026
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This set has it all: dreamy marbling, gold accents, and idyllic flowers—oh, my!—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Don't forget to dye those eggs and hide 'em before the Easter Bunny makes his visit on Sunday.—
Caroline Ritzie,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
1 Apr. 2026
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Along the Coromandel Coast, fishermen wear lungis—cotton cloths folded and tied at the waist—that are made of handwoven muslin and dyed in checks of multiple colors.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stipple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stipple. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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