as in to dot
to mark with small spots especially unevenly
the sunlight falling through the lace curtain stippled her face
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stipple
The yellowing, eventually turning to brown, starts with stippling or tiny dots on the foliage where mites have pierced the leaves’ epidermis with their stylets or sucking mouthparts.
—
Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 20 Sep. 2025
Spider mites cause yellowing or stippling on the leaves.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2025
Swipe directly onto the hollows of your cheeks and temples, then blend up and out with a stippling brush to keep the lift high and defined.
—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 12 July 2025
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One A game of vivid Canadian wilderness stippled with salmon sunsets and flashes of evergreens, The Long Dark offers an achingly beautiful survival experience, but a brutal one nonetheless.
—Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for stipple
Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 20 Sep. 2025
Spider mites cause yellowing or stippling on the leaves.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2025
Swipe directly onto the hollows of your cheeks and temples, then blend up and out with a stippling brush to keep the lift high and defined.
—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 12 July 2025
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One A game of vivid Canadian wilderness stippled with salmon sunsets and flashes of evergreens, The Long Dark offers an achingly beautiful survival experience, but a brutal one nonetheless.
—Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for stipple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stipple
Verb
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Depending on how late winter goes, the Meriden Daffodil Festival on May 2 and 3 may not be bursting with fresh daffodils dotting the historic Hubbard Park.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
29 Mar. 2026
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Rooms Twenty-four one- and two-bedroom tents are fronted by a winding lagoon dotted with lily pads and bordered by tropical greenery.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After the mac and cheese bakes for 15 minutes, a crisp and tasty topping is sprinkled on top, adding a welcome texture contrast.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
30 Mar. 2026
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Nature design motifs are sprinkled throughout the dining room, such as redwood paneling bearing carvings of a redwood tree and a topography map of Kirkwood Mountain, where the Riches like to ski.—
Cesar Hernandez,
San Francisco Chronicle,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The most popular American sport, long recession-proof, forever immune to greed’s side effects, is prepared to stain its legacy.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
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The fossils become smooth, rounded and mineral-stained from their time underwater, a process that also complicates efforts to date them precisely.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This set has it all: dreamy marbling, gold accents, and idyllic flowers—oh, my!—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
27 Feb. 2026
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Prime rib is a desirable cut of beef, known for its rich flavor and marbling from fat.—
Sarah Bence,
Verywell Health,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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My kids stamped, dyed, experimented, and ended the day with scarves of their own design.—
Christine Chitnis,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 Mar. 2026
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Many parts of the world will look a bit greener today as people don the color to celebrate the holiday — including the Chicago River, famously dyed a vivid emerald each year.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stipple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stipple. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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