trickled; trickling
ˈtri-k(ə-)liŋ 
1
a
: to issue or fall in drops
b
: to flow in a thin gentle stream
2
a
: to move or go one by one or little by little
customers began to trickle in
b
: to dissipate slowly
his enthusiasm trickled away
: a thin, slow, or intermittent stream or movement
Examples of trickle in a Sentence
Verb
Tears trickled down her cheeks.
Water was trickling out of the gutter.
People trickled into the theater.
Donations have been trickling in.
Noun
We heard the trickle of water from the roof.
The flow of water slowed to a trickle.
Sales have slowed to a trickle in recent weeks.
A slow trickle of customers came into the store throughout the day.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 6 Feb. 2025
The companies could also ship products to other ASEAN countries such as Vietnam and ship it to the US there, but the extra shipping costs would also eventually trickle down to customers.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN, 5 Feb. 2025
Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Feb. 2025
But the stresses outside bled into the proper show at a trickle, largely via loving words.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for trickle 
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Verb
Ticketing sponsorships nearly doubled in 2023, thanks in part to the league’s Ticketmaster renewal, which had revenue ramifications that trickled down beyond league-level to the individual teams, according to Lynch.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 6 Feb. 2025
The companies could also ship products to other ASEAN countries such as Vietnam and ship it to the US there, but the extra shipping costs would also eventually trickle down to customers.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN, 5 Feb. 2025
Noun
After the 2023 Hollywood writers and actors strikes and the budget crunch that followed, the industry shock that was felt throughout Los Angeles extended all the way to Canada — specifically Ontario and British Columbia — where the usual deluge of location shoots slowed to a trickle.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Feb. 2025
But the stresses outside bled into the proper show at a trickle, largely via loving words.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for trickle
Dictionary Entries Near trickle
Cite this Entry
“Trickle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trickle. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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