as in sprinkling
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 stippling
Two pumps on the back of my hand did the trick, stippling it across my red-speckled cheeks and around my nose.
—
Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 21 Dec. 2025
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
Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 21 Dec. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stippling
Verb
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Planting a clover lawn is as easy as sprinkling topsoil over an even distribution of seeds, followed by watering.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
30 Apr. 2026
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The Fort Worth Aviation Museum suffered damages on every single plane at their facility, and hail broke through their exhibit building, sprinkling insulation onto the entire gallery.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Italy is not a monolith, but is made up of many tiny, charming towns, glamorous cities, and villages dotting the map along the way.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
4 May 2026
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Traci Park won the Los Angeles City Council’s 11th District seat in 2022 on a promise to clean up the rising number of homeless encampments dotting the affluent Westside district.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Once the structure is built, consider painting or staining the wood to both ensure the material's long-term integrity and enhance the overall look.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 May 2026
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Porcelain options tend to resist staining better than other materials.—
K.H. Koehler,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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One day later, Smith shared a video of Cline dyeing Easter eggs while his mom sang and danced.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
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For many fans — including plenty in the audience with neon green or pink hair — dyeing your own hair at home is part of self-discovery.—
Deborah Sengupta Stith,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Brianna, spotting her former boyfriend, Duncan (Ben Marshall), attempted to brush off the awkward encounter.—
Paula Mejía,
The Atlantic,
3 May 2026
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Scott recalled sitting in the waiting room and spotting a producer from the earlier film nearby, prompting him to try to avoid being recognized.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stippling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stippling. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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