dabble

verb

dab·​ble ˈda-bəl 

dabbled; dabbling ˈda-b(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to work or involve oneself superficially or intermittently especially in a secondary activity or interest

dabbles in art

2

a

: to paddle, splash, or play in or as if in water

b

: to reach with the bill to the bottom of shallow water in order to obtain food

transitive verb

: to wet by splashing or by little dips or strokes : spatter

Examples of dabble in a Sentence

The ducks dabbled in the stream.

She sat by the pool, dabbling her feet in the cool water.

Recent Examples on the Web

Success doesn’t come from dabbling in a dozen different directions. —Melissa Houston, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025

Af Klint began dabbling in séances even before art school, communing with the spirit world while grappling with the devastating loss of her younger sister, Hermina, who died suddenly, at 10 years old, in 1880. —Jay Cheshes, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025

His father, Jean-Philippe, was a basketball player and after dabbling in basketball and soccer, Fils chose tennis. —Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2025

Clones are as much a sci-fi staple as robots, spaceships, and time travel, with every major franchise dabbling with duplicates somewhere down the line. —Richard Edwards, Space.com, 26 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

perhaps frequentative of dab entry 2

First Known Use

1557, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for dabble

• babble
• babel
• drabble
• gabble
• nabal
• rabble
• scrabble
• immeasurable

Kids Definition

dabble

verb

dab·​ble ˈdab-əl 

dabbled; dabbling -(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to wet by splashing : spatter

2

a

: to paddle or play in or as if in water

b

: to reach with the bill to the bottom of shallow water to obtain food

ducks dabbled in the pond

3

: to work or concern oneself lightly or without deep involvement

they dabble in poetry

dabbler

-(ə-)lər

noun