as in fleck
a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part
the clouds threw dapples of shadow over the eerily quiet street
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to sprinkle
to mark with small spots especially unevenly
sunlight dappled the canopy of vines over our heads
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dapple
Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 17 Nov. 2022
While out on walks in Dallas’ Uptown, people often stop Alison Roche to ask about her brown, dapple, floppy-eared dachshund.
—Dallas News, 9 May 2022
Peg Aloi, The Spruce, 16 Apr. 2026
The ballpark’s roof was open, the sun still dappling the downtown Miami skyline beyond left field at the start -- a beautiful tableau.
—Greg Cote
updated March 27, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dapple
Noun
Gleaming spots caused by methane ice clouds in the planet's atmosphere dapple its lower half.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 17 Nov. 2022
While out on walks in Dallas’ Uptown, people often stop Alison Roche to ask about her brown, dapple, floppy-eared dachshund.
—Dallas News, 9 May 2022
Verb
Windows with trees, hedges, or buildings partially obscuring the sun outside them may get medium light exposure, and the light may be dappled or filtered.
—Peg Aloi, The Spruce, 16 Apr. 2026
The ballpark’s roof was open, the sun still dappling the downtown Miami skyline beyond left field at the start -- a beautiful tableau.
—Greg Cote
updated March 27, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dapple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dapple
Noun
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Powerful new lasers and x-rays are enabling geologists like Korolev, a researcher at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City, to probe increasingly small flecks of minerals in deep diamonds.—
James Dinneen,
Scientific American,
14 May 2026
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Our recipe studs egg filling with flecks of green onions, bacon, and a generous helping of Swiss cheese.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
5 May 2026
Verb
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Cowboy hats, oversized belt buckles and Western boots dominated the arrivals for both men and women, while a few sprinkled in Vegas-worthy sparkle.—
Ryma Chikhoune,
Footwear News,
18 May 2026
-
And Crawford has been sprinkling in a secret catchphrase no one has caught on to yet.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
18 May 2026
Noun
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If your ideal Disneyland outfit is Minnie Mouse-coded, this polka-dot jumpsuit is just the thing.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
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Numerous black dots, later identified as a swarm of bees, were spotted on the White House near the press corps’ Pebble Beach media area on the North Lawn.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Sometimes, though, the tree dropped little brown fruits, inedible berries that stained everything and drove me into the glaring sun.—
Abraham Jiménez Enoa,
The Dial,
19 May 2026
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In the seven-time Grand Slam champion’s spread, shot by Ethan James Green, Alcaraz posed in an all-white ensemble of a vest, shorts, a top and a suit, stained with clay.—
Ava Wallace,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Noun
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As in Kourliandski’s quartet, specks and splatters of sound are interspersed with silences.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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The titular town is a serene speck of a place in the west of Japan, near a mountain also called Nagi, a beautiful but raggedy landscape that patchworks swathes of virgin forest, farmed fields and twinkling solar panels.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Brisket is a tough, richly marbled cut that only turns tender after hours of low-and-slow cooking, when connective tissue breaks down and fat renders into the meat.—
Paula Disbrowe,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
18 May 2026
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Additionally, unlike traditional bleaching which tends to give fabrics a flat look, Zero allows marbling.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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These grow to form blotches that have lighter and darker zones appearing as irregular concentric rings that grow throughout the season until the entire leaf turns black and dies.—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
-
This was a black one with blotches faintly outlined in pale yellow, a beautiful but deadly looking animal.—
Dr. C. E. Kuschel,
Outdoor Life,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Here, guests can browse hula instruments, indigenous fishing tools, and pepper the super-knowledgeable staff with questions.—
Laura Dannen Redman,
Robb Report,
14 May 2026
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Becerra peppered his speech with bursts of Spanish.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dapple. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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