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
Dallas News, 9 May 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
Rick Jervis, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
In fact, tree canopies provide delightful shade allowing the sun to dapple the path.
—Jeanine Barone, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dapple
Noun
While out on walks in Dallas’ Uptown, people often stop Alison Roche to ask about her brown, dapple, floppy-eared dachshund.
—Verb
Dried blood dappled his face, neck and bedsheets.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for dapple
Noun
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López reportedly found flecks of gold while digging wild onions, sparking an early gold rush.—
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Shiny and dark evergreen foliage is held aloft on strong, arching stems mottled with purple flecks.—
Verb
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Spray any tough-to-clean areas with a bit of vinegar and sprinkle with baking soda.—
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Flaky phyllo dough is filled with zesty harissa sauce and halloumi cheese and sprinkled with breadcrumbs and paprika for a savory bite-sized snack.—
Noun
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Email cpatteson@washingtonexaminer dot com or mmerino@washingtonexaminer dot com for tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else.—
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In the western part of the state, Radford, Montgomery, Roanoke City, Martinsville and Danville, Lynchburg and Lexington voted for Spanberger, blue dots in a sea of red.—
Verb
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This mixture attacks stains a bit stronger than the water solution.—
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While new doors can cost anywhere from several hundred to thousands of dollars, staining, painting, and weather stripping can be done for under $150, according to O'Reilly.—
Noun
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Their long, silvery-blue spiral arms are peppered with bright knots and specks, the telltale signposts of active, messy astrophysics in progress.—
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Pure black or white floors show every speck of dust.—
Verb
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McQueen’s work asks us to confront the ways that awe at beauty can be marbled with disgust.—
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The marbling method, a simple smoosh, pinch, and roll, creates bakery-worthy swirls in every cookie.—
Noun
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These blotches are fairly plant friendly and produce what is known as algal leaf spot.—
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The simplest justification for museum construction is structural necessity: ceilings blotch, plumbing and heating go on the fritz.—
Verb
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Hingham peppered the Notre Dame (11-5-3) net in the first half, out-shooting the Cougars at an 8-0 clip.—
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Mamdani did make some nods to boosting bureaucratic efficiency and improving public safety, but populists always pepper their speeches with promises that almost everyone can support.—
Cite this Entry
“Dapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dapple. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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