as in entertaining
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as in delighting
to take part in an activity in a superficial way
She dabbled in drawing and painting but sculpture was her favorite medium.
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Recent Examples of dabbling
Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
And then spend a soft retirement visiting The Rookie and dabbling in the four to seven Rookie spin-off series that are still going and very, very popular.
—Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
Just as David Bowie enjoyed praise for dabbling in Black music on 1975’s Young Americans while his backup singer Luther Vandross took years to accrue the same respect, by which point Bowie was musically miles away, the Catalan singer who took over urbano now investigates opera and classical music.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
When first dabbling with plyos, focus on having as minimal contact time with the ground as possible, Booker says.
—Jenny McCoy, SELF, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dabbling
Verb
Enter Kolomoisky By the late 1990s, the duo had also started dabbling in the Ukrainian energy sector.
—Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
And then spend a soft retirement visiting The Rookie and dabbling in the four to seven Rookie spin-off series that are still going and very, very popular.
—Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
Just as David Bowie enjoyed praise for dabbling in Black music on 1975’s Young Americans while his backup singer Luther Vandross took years to accrue the same respect, by which point Bowie was musically miles away, the Catalan singer who took over urbano now investigates opera and classical music.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
When first dabbling with plyos, focus on having as minimal contact time with the ground as possible, Booker says.
—Jenny McCoy, SELF, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dabbling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dabbling
Adjective
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Built around the 1st century CE, the brothel includes a ground-floor reception area and bathing pool, with an upper story for entertaining clients.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
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Back then, short tracks and road courses were considered the most entertaining types of circuits.—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Thanks to the Muppets’ film franchise and the wonders of YouTube, the wacky gang is still delighting, and expanding, its fan base.—
Jared Bahir Browsh,
Fortune,
29 Jan. 2026
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Church’s has been delighting customers since 1952, when the first location opened in San Antonio.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Take Danielle Deadwyler, known as a dramatic heavyweight in award-winning projects like Till and The Piano Lesson, who gets to show off her goofier side here as Dylan, a poetry professor who becomes a wary confidante of Greg’s — and often steals the show.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Feb. 2026
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In a conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Stiller reflects on working with Boone, pulling off that wild stunt, and crafting his goofy character — and reveals what Boone ate for lunch just before flipping all over the stage.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Baseball owners, with Dick Monfort playing a prominent role as a hawk in labor negotiations, are expected to lock out the players after this season, seeking a salary cap, believing that is the only reason the Dodgers win.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
12 Feb. 2026
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Back in 2013, Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez tore a ligament in his thumb while playing for the Dominican Republic.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Valentine’s Day can be an opportunity for adorable fun holiday for kids—after all, its main theme is love and kids get to trade cards and chocolate.—
Wendy Wisner,
Parents,
10 Feb. 2026
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The South Beach Wine & Food Festival is known for showcasing top chefs, fine and fun food and spirits and wine.—
Connie Ogle,
Miami Herald,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As in Robinson’s other works, what elevates them from amusing to sublime is the way they’re performed, often by unfamiliar but wonderfully offbeat character actors — through overly broad smiles, wild-eyed smirks, strange pronunciations.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Telanee Smith voted against the settlement, accusing Sinwelski of filing frivolous lawsuits.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
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For many adults, play may seem frivolous or even irresponsible, but research tells a different story.—
Katharine Gammon,
Time,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The rise may seem trifling, but staffers work long hours, and a caffeine budget is a necessity.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Feb. 2026
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The health factor is no trifling qualifier for a player who has missed time with shoulder and oblique injuries, in addition to that unfortunate incident with his pelvic floor.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dabbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dabbling. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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