1
: a very small pool of usually dirty or muddy water
2
a
: an earthy mixture (as of clay, sand, and gravel) worked while wet into a compact mass that becomes impervious to water when dry
b
: a thin mixture of soil and water for puddling plants
puddled; puddling
ˈpəd-liŋ 
ˈpə-dᵊl-iŋ
: to dabble or wade around in a puddle
1
: to make muddy or turbid : muddle
2
a
: to work (a wet mixture of earth or concrete) into a dense impervious mass
b
: to subject (iron) to the process of puddling
3
a
: to strew with puddles
b
: to compact (soil) especially by working when too wet
c
: to dip the roots of (a plant) in a thin mud before transplanting
Examples of puddle in a Sentence
Noun
She accidentally stepped in a puddle and got her shoes wet.
After the storm, the road was covered in deep puddles.
Recent Examples on the Web
George B. Sánchez-Tello, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2025
The plumbing broke, spraying raw sewage puddles on the floor.
—Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2025
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 20 Feb. 2025
The surface tension of elemental mercury is so high that the liquid beads up rather than puddling and doesn’t cling to much of anything, ceaselessly vacuuming into itself.
—Sallie Tisdale, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for puddle
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Noun
Runners ahead of me point with exaggerated gestures to warn us of holes, puddles, and anything that might trip us up.
—George B. Sánchez-Tello, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2025
The plumbing broke, spraying raw sewage puddles on the floor.
—Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2025
Verb
The mostly light wash baggy jeans puddled over sneakers adorned with charms and pompoms.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 20 Feb. 2025
The surface tension of elemental mercury is so high that the liquid beads up rather than puddling and doesn’t cling to much of anything, ceaselessly vacuuming into itself.
—Sallie Tisdale, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for puddle
Cite this Entry
“Puddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puddle. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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