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
Brad Japhe, Travel + Leisure, 22 Jan. 2025
The subtlest animation looks the best, especially when sunlight dapples upon fur or felines flex their claws to assert power.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 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
It’s lined with shops and cafes, but Pimlico Road is also dappled with the most delightful design, commercial galleries, and furniture stores in the city, all of which are worth exploring for an afternoon.
—Brad Japhe, Travel + Leisure, 22 Jan. 2025
The subtlest animation looks the best, especially when sunlight dapples upon fur or felines flex their claws to assert power.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for dapple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dapple
Noun
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Normally, landing a star of Dončić’s caliber at such a young age would take every fleck of gold in the safe.—
C. Clark, M. Vorkunov and F. Katz,
The Athletic,
17 Feb. 2025
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Tips and Tricks: During this event, the moon will begin to travel in front of the Pleiades stars around 11 P.M. Eastern Time, concealing several of the blueish flecks as the night goes on.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Outside Online,
13 Feb. 2025
Verb
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To add scouring power, sprinkle kosher salt on the lemon, which acts as a gentle abrasive to scour away odor-causing buildup and residue.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
24 Mar. 2025
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Will people obey this new law and stop eating this ingredient, cease and desist from mixing its powder with their milk, sprinkling it onto their ice-cream?—
Walter E Block,
Orange County Register,
22 Mar. 2025
Noun
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On that card, hit those three dots on the top right and select Remove from list.—
Kim Komando,
Fox News,
17 Mar. 2025
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Each set comes with 12 canvases and more than 750 colorful dot stickers that will inspire kids to play independently and use their imagination.—
Laura Lu,
Parents,
17 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Many shoppers even added DIY elements, such as staining it, incorporating trellises for climbing vines, and casters for easy moving.—
Miles Walls,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 Mar. 2025
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Also, ensure there is no debris or dirt stuck to the wheels or base of the machine that could stain the carpet when rolled on it.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
22 Mar. 2025
Noun
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There’s not a speck of iceberg lettuce or a sticky Heinz bottle in sight.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
29 Mar. 2025
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This is where the creek empties, where the speck spook in the eelgrass.—
Kristin L. Wolfe,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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This ham is spiraled and salty, with lots of yummy marbling around the sides.—
Carrie Honaker,
Southern Living,
11 Dec. 2024
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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
Noun
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Dark brown blotches with black edges dot its back, sometimes joining together to form bands.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2025
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Doctors could see white blotches and smears around those dark spaces, indicating lesions.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Frank Lloyd Wright’s distinctive brand of American architecture is peppered throughout the country.—
Rachel Chang,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Mar. 2025
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Hinsdale team names peppered the results board and in almost every category, the team had a racer in the top three.—
Jacob Spetzler,
The Denver Post,
20 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dapple. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
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