as in to dot
to mark with small spots especially unevenly
the sunlight falling through the lace curtain stippled her face
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stipple
Swipe directly onto the hollows of your cheeks and temples, then blend up and out with a stippling brush to keep the lift high and defined.
—
Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 12 July 2025
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One A game of vivid Canadian wilderness stippled with salmon sunsets and flashes of evergreens, The Long Dark offers an achingly beautiful survival experience, but a brutal one nonetheless.
—Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 9 July 2025
Healthy gums often have stippling, small, shallow grooves like an orange peel.3
Unhealthy gums are looser and darker than healthy gums.
—Mark Gurarie, Health, 29 May 2025
His go-to technique starts with tailoring prep to skin type, stippling in foundation, and using strategic spot-concealing.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for stipple
Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 12 July 2025
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One A game of vivid Canadian wilderness stippled with salmon sunsets and flashes of evergreens, The Long Dark offers an achingly beautiful survival experience, but a brutal one nonetheless.
—Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 9 July 2025
Healthy gums often have stippling, small, shallow grooves like an orange peel.3
Unhealthy gums are looser and darker than healthy gums.
—Mark Gurarie, Health, 29 May 2025
His go-to technique starts with tailoring prep to skin type, stippling in foundation, and using strategic spot-concealing.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for stipple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stipple
Verb
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Waterfalls, terraces, and an Italian grotto dot the 42-acre estate.—
Gisela Williams,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Feb. 2026
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The names dotting Laguna Beach’s starting lineup Friday weren’t as familiar as last season but their skill and understanding of movement leaped from the pool to be recognized.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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To serve, sprinkle parsley and/or celery leaves over top.—
Holly Riordan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Feb. 2026
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The show was sprinkled with dance cameos including Pedro Pascal, Cardi B, Jessica Alba and Karol G.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Classic raised garden beds made of wood and stained to protect them from the elements are a good way to pack a lot of plants into a small space.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Feb. 2026
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Liu says her favorite flavor is the dark chocolate mochi, coated in enough cocoa powder to stain your fingers and likely your shirt.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The marbling effect of this manicure aggregates the polish at the tip of each nail, but diffuses the border of the nail tips and pulls the color down towards the base in a watercolor style.—
Sunnah Rasheed,
InStyle,
24 Jan. 2026
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Prime rib is a desirable cut of beef, known for its rich flavor and marbling from fat.—
Sarah Bence,
Verywell Health,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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His goatee was dyed an uncanny shade of orange, that of a Dinka tribesman’s hair or maybe a punk’s mohawk.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
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Alix Earle Alix Earle made a surprise cameo on Sunday, dancing alongside Cardi B and Jessica Alba with a soft, skin-first makeup aesthetic and freshly dyed hair by Jacob Schwartz.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stipple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stipple. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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