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

Since then, the developer has dabbled in experimenting inside the franchise with games like Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, though fans have been clamoring for a proper return to the series' roots. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024

After dabbling in boxing, Carty turned his focus to baseball and soon attracted the attention of major league scouts as a catcher. —Victor Mather, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2024

In the movie from director Tim Burton, Johnny Depp starred as Ichabod, now a constable dabbling in early forensic science tasked by the New York police with investigating a series of murders in an upstate Dutch town. —Stacy Lambe, People.com, 19 Nov. 2024

Beyond reputational harm, dabbling with unsavory donors can mean losing out on future funding. —Mary Holland, Robb Report, 1 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

perhaps frequentative of dab entry 2

First Known Use

1557, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

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