plural dumplings
1
a
: a small mass of dough cooked by boiling or steaming
chicken soup with dumplings
b
: a casing of dough enclosing a typically savory filling (such as meat or seafood) and cooked usually by boiling, steaming, or pan-frying see gyoza, pot sticker, wonton
c
: a usually baked dessert of fruit wrapped in dough
apple dumplings
2
: something soft and rounded like a dumpling
especially
: a plump person or animal often of short stature
I wanted to do it [rowing] because it was something I had never heard of. I was a little dumpling as well. I wanted to lose weight. —
Spencer Turrin, quoted in The Daily Telegraph (England)
Spencer Turrin, quoted in The Daily Telegraph (England) Examples of dumpling in a Sentence
We had vegetarian dumplings as an appetizer.
Recent Examples on the Web
At the Fenix museum in Rotterdam, Netherlands, which focuses on migration, chef Maksut Askar elevates Turkish street food such as mantı (dumplings) and mücver (zucchini fritters) at O Anatolian Café.
—Michelle Tchea, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2026
Clams, Szechuan pork dumplings, crispy shrimp spring rolls and Hong Kong wonton soup are some of the other Chinese New Year food favorites.
—Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Foodies should take note of this event at Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park, which is expected to feature competitions for eating pho and bun bo hue, drinking boba tea and wrapping dumplings.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Bánh chưng steaming, dumplings sizzling, and drinks free flowing, hosts and guests alike best roll up their sleeves for the revelry.
—Ingu Chen, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dumpling
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Michelle Tchea, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2026
Clams, Szechuan pork dumplings, crispy shrimp spring rolls and Hong Kong wonton soup are some of the other Chinese New Year food favorites.
—Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Foodies should take note of this event at Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park, which is expected to feature competitions for eating pho and bun bo hue, drinking boba tea and wrapping dumplings.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Bánh chưng steaming, dumplings sizzling, and drinks free flowing, hosts and guests alike best roll up their sleeves for the revelry.
—Ingu Chen, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dumpling
Cite this Entry
“Dumpling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dumpling. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dumpling
noun
dump·ling
ˈdəm-pliŋ 
1
: a portion of dough cooked by boiling or steaming
2
: a dessert of fruit baked in biscuit dough
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