as in fleck
a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part
the clouds threw dapples of shadow over the eerily quiet street
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to sprinkle
to mark with small spots especially unevenly
sunlight dappled the canopy of vines over our heads
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dapple
Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 17 Nov. 2022
Piglet is a Chihuahua-dachshund mix, with a genetic condition called double dapple that causes eyesight and hearing difficulties.
—Susan Dunne, courant.com, 29 Jan. 2022
Bryan West, The Tennessean, 4 Jan. 2024
Set your rubber plant in an area where it will get dappled indirect light.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 22 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dapple 
Noun
Gleaming spots caused by methane ice clouds in the planet's atmosphere dapple its lower half.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 17 Nov. 2022
Piglet is a Chihuahua-dachshund mix, with a genetic condition called double dapple that causes eyesight and hearing difficulties.
—Susan Dunne, courant.com, 29 Jan. 2022
Verb
The quote by Virginia Woolf glared as a harbinger to the gender studies motifs dappled throughout the two-hour Taylor Swift course taught at Northeastern University by Catherine Fairfield.
—Bryan West, The Tennessean, 4 Jan. 2024
Set your rubber plant in an area where it will get dappled indirect light.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 22 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dapple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dapple
Noun
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Others less so: Tiny flecks of indium make the screen sensitive to the touch of a finger.—
Vince Beiser,
WIRED,
30 Nov. 2024
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And in the very center of the panel, in flat, dark country, in literal no man’s land, is a small, broken vertical line consisting of flecks of white paint.—
Teju Cole,
The New Yorker,
10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Altuve sprinkled similar sentiments throughout subsequent interviews, even if his conviction ran counter to how this franchise conducts business.—
Chandler Rome,
The Athletic,
25 Jan. 2025
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The doughnuts and Munchkins will swap regular sprinkles for pink, white and red heart sprinkles.—
Sabrina Weiss,
People.com,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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When touched, its hood and tail glow with a constellation of blue-green dots like an underwater planetarium.—
Jude Coleman,
Scientific American,
23 Jan. 2025
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Those travelers are missing out, though, because taking the time to get out of the car to wander trails and explore the unique flora and fauna of the deer’s habitat will leave you with a deeper appreciation of this unique dot on the map.—
Terry Ward,
AFAR Media,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Make Glass Shower Doors Sparkle The entire aesthetic of your bathroom can take a big hit the moment your glass shower door begins to look streaky, stained, or foggy.—
Katelyn Squiers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
24 Jan. 2025
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As Shilpa notes though, the plastic has a tendency to stain, especially when slicing carrots or beets.—
Wilder Davies,
Bon Appétit,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The floor was covered in paint specks, in the corner was a pile of old paint tubes and smocks.—
Karl Ove Knausgaard,
The New Yorker,
27 Jan. 2025
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Flowers have a white-to-lavender hue with purple specks and invite bumblebees, native bees, and honey bees to the garden.—
Lauren David,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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There’s a nice mix of experience and youth marbled through the lineup, with Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers leading the offence.—
Allan Mitchell,
The Athletic,
8 Jan. 2025
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American bacon is typically a much fattier cut of meat due to lots of marbling, notes Shore.—
Stacey Lastoe,
Southern Living,
25 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The blotch of black fur around Bao Li's eyes is wider, with pointy tips that flare out more than Qing Bao's.—
Christopher Cann,
USA TODAY,
21 Jan. 2025
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The spread of the blotches slowed, creeping to a stop.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
14 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Gwendolyn is eager to learn about Mark’s time on the surface, peppering him with questions about the sky and the air.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
17 Jan. 2025
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The Capitals were pushing Vancouver around physically and setting up shop in its end of the ice, peppering Kevin Lankinen with scoring chances in bunches.—
Thomas Drance,
The Athletic,
8 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Dapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dapple. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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