dot 1 of 2

Definition of dotnext
as in fleck
a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part there was just a dot on the tablecloth where the food had spattered

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dot

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to spray
to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on a hillside dotted with wildflowers

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2
as in to sprinkle
to mark with small spots especially unevenly the practice of some chefs of positioning a small portion of food in the center and dotting the rest of the plate with sauce

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dot
Noun
Experts say this pattern reflects both improved recognition and a true rise in cases as the lone star tick (named for the distinctive white dot on the female) expands its range northward and westward. Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 3 Apr. 2026 Place films or dots, spaced 2 x 2 inches apart both vertically or horizontally, on windows. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
Fourth Street is dotted with vacant storefronts and large vacant office buildings. Julie Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 Mar. 2026 Along the route, my father would point in disgust at the large Olympic-torch flames dotting the horizon and rising above the acres of palm trees flanking the highway. Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dot
Noun
  • Berber carpet Berber is a type of loop pile carpet with flecks of color.
    Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
  • Using x-ray fluorescence spectrometry, scholars determined that the ancient off-white fluid was composed of calcite, huntite, and miniscule flecks of yellow orpiment, a highly toxic sulfide of arsenic that Egyptians also used in medicine to treat syphilis and malaria.
    News Desk, Artforum, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Still, slather or spray yourself with plenty of repellent (there’s a natural one provided in your room) and make sure to close the mosquito nets around your bed at night.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Turn the hose on and spray down the spout.
    Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • After the mac and cheese bakes for 15 minutes, a crisp and tasty topping is sprinkled on top, adding a welcome texture contrast.
    Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Nature design motifs are sprinkled throughout the dining room, such as redwood paneling bearing carvings of a redwood tree and a topography map of Kirkwood Mountain, where the Riches like to ski.
    Cesar Hernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The eggs vary in color—from white to blue to brown—with speckles, blotches, and other markings and are also distinctive in shape.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Early salt damage often appears as pale, chalky blotches or uneven fading in the paint finish.
    Jenna Prestininzi, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Trump himself made a brief but historic appearance in the Supreme Court chamber Wednesday to listen to the court, including a six-justice conservative majority and three of his own appointees, pepper an administration lawyer with tough questions about his effort to end birthright citizenship.
    Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Van Auken, entering a building on Linden Boulevard, peppered the team leaders with practical questions.
    Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The most popular American sport, long recession-proof, forever immune to greed’s side effects, is prepared to stain its legacy.
    Troy Renck, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
  • The fossils become smooth, rounded and mineral-stained from their time underwater, a process that also complicates efforts to date them precisely.
    Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Keep an eye out for tiny brown or orange specks, especially around door edges, undercarriage and seams.
    Jenna Prestininzi, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
  • A little speck on the metaphorical Southlake Carroll wall that’s been historically dominated by its eight-time state champion football program.
    Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Here's where hummingbirds have been spotted so far this year and how to attract them to your garden.
    James Powel, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
  • In what’s become typical Knicks fashion, the team wearing orange and blue spotted the Rockets a 12-1 lead to start the game — 10 coming from Kevin Durant, who finished with 27 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dot. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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