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
Piglet is a Chihuahua-dachshund mix, with a genetic condition called double dapple that causes eyesight and hearing difficulties.
—Susan Dunne, courant.com, 29 Jan. 2022
Julie Tremaine, People.com, 9 Mar. 2025
Venturing so close to the splattering surf that her tight-fitting jeans are dappled with wet.
—Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025
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
Piglet is a Chihuahua-dachshund mix, with a genetic condition called double dapple that causes eyesight and hearing difficulties.
—Susan Dunne, courant.com, 29 Jan. 2022
Verb
Dakota appears to have dappled in acting before working on other creative ventures.
—Julie Tremaine, People.com, 9 Mar. 2025
Venturing so close to the splattering surf that her tight-fitting jeans are dappled with wet.
—Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dapple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dapple
Noun
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After drying, Messinger meticulously cleans the artifacts with delicate animal-hair brushes and painstakingly removes rust, fleck by fleck, with a dental pick.—
Tammy Ljungblad,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2025
-
The blue is speckled with some white flecks, which reminds me of blue enamelware pots and pans for a down-home aesthetic.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Remove from the heat and sprinkle the gelatin over the top and let stand for about 5 minutes.—
Georgeanne Brennan,
Mercury News,
5 June 2025
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It’s topped with various treats like toffee pieces, caramel popcorn, and golden star sprinkles.—
Kimberly Zapata,
Parents,
3 June 2025
Noun
-
The rubber dots and grips on the top and bottom of the stool provide extra stability, giving me peace of mind.—
Katrina Cossey,
Parents,
4 June 2025
-
Each dot on this map represents a city or reporting area that issues a forecast.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
Verb
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Outside, people were returning from the aid hub, mostly empty-handed, while empty flour bags stained with blood lay on the ground.—
Mohammad Jahjouh,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2025
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The doors to several apartments on the first floor remained stained with the victims’ bloody handprints Saturday.—
Emma Seiwell,
New York Daily News,
31 May 2025
Noun
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When dishes air-dry, especially in a dishwasher or on a drying rack, the water evaporates, and these minerals remain on the surface, forming those unsightly white or grayish specks.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 June 2025
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Her path had been ambitiously charted to include a refuelling stop on Howland Island, a speck between Hawaii and Australia.—
Laurie Gwen Shapiro,
New Yorker,
2 June 2025
Verb
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Original price: $109.99 Get Crocs' signature marbled look in a sneaker version with the Echo Storm marble clog.—
Christopher Murray
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2025
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The marbling itself is called shimofuri and makes for tender cuts of beef that melt in your mouth.—
Yukari Sakamoto,
AFAR Media,
12 June 2025
Noun
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Their backs are a mixture of cream dots, orange-ish speckles and brown blotches.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
2 June 2025
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These are more typically animals with stripes instead of blotches, missing patterns, and similar.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
People.com,
16 May 2025
Verb
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Before concluding her cross-examination of one of the case’s most important witnesses, Geragos peppered Jane with questions about Combs continuing to pay her rent and her lingering ties to him.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
12 June 2025
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Police officers, outreach workers, nonprofit leaders and at least one economic development group viewed a demonstration of the program Monday before peppering the developers with questions.—
Blake Nelson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dapple. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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