1
as in spraying
to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on
a hillside dotted with wildflowers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in sprinkling
to mark with small spots especially unevenly
the practice of some chefs of positioning a small portion of food in the center and dotting the rest of the plate with sauce
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dotting
Kenneth Cole Classic Wool Walker Coat The three-button closure dotting the collar of this Kenneth Cole coat is unique yet totally timeless.
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Annie Blackman, InStyle, 11 Jan. 2026
Most of the hotels dotting its slopes are surrounded by vineyards and showcase trailblazing cooking and the bounty of the volcanic soil.
—Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026
Burn scars dotting our state from Paradise to Pacific Palisades show clearly his failure to prioritize fire prevention.
—Brian Jones, Oc Register, 6 Jan. 2026
The city is in a valley, so nearly every building has a view—on this January morning, of fires dotting the hills and little, loud aircraft flying in all directions, like a mosquito swarm on a hot night.
—Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026
Clean Mirrors If there are fingerprints and toothpaste remnants dotting your mirror, grab a Swiffer, glass cleaner, and a microfiber cloth.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2025
Partitions in the space were crafted using a traditional Japanese technique called Kumiko woodworking, alongside custom plateware from ceramicist Shinobu Habauchi dotting the 10-seat counter.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 30 Dec. 2025
By Nadia Lathan, CalMatters Fridge-less apartments dotting the pricey California rental market will soon be a head-scratching relic.
—Calmatters, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025
With the same mixture and a small dotting tool, place four dots down the center of the nail, and then place three more on each side.
—Catharine Malzahn, Glamour, 27 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dotting
Verb
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Using products by celeb-favorite skin care brand iS Clinical, Flores began by cleansing Williams' skin with the lightweight Cleansing Complex before spraying his skin with a Copper Firming Mist.—
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Researchers are also studying ways to cool the most endangered parts of the reef, like spraying salt water into clouds to deflect sunlight.—
Verb
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Cameras caught a clergy member sprinkling a little holy water on the Acrisure Stadium turf about two hours before kickoff on Sunday.—
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In the second season of Andor, Tony Gilroy continued his indictment of rising fascism, sprinkling the sci-fi tropes with grandstanding political drama, the impending doom of an action thriller, and a helping of French-resistance imagery, then tossing it all in a blender.—
Verb
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Factor in Rodgers' league-leading time-to-throw abilities, and defenses don't have time to be as exotic, which enables the Steelers to methodically drive down the field, often by peppering their running backs near the line of scrimmage.—
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But their decision won't be made before peppering the final three with questions at the final Tribal Council.—
Verb
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Holevich adds that cleaning these surfaces promptly will help prevent long-term staining and lingering odors.—
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Foods like tomato sauce and chocolate can cause staining if they aren't wiped up right away.—
Cite this Entry
“Dotting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dotting. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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