dabble

verb

dab·​ble ˈda-bəl How to pronounce dabble (audio)
dabbled; dabbling ˈda-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce dabble (audio)
Synonyms of dabblenext

intransitive verb

1
: to work or involve oneself superficially or intermittently especially in a secondary activity or interest
dabbles in art
2
a
: to paddle, splash, or play in or as if in water
b
: to reach with the bill to the bottom of shallow water in order to obtain food

transitive verb

: to wet by splashing or by little dips or strokes : spatter

Examples of dabble in a Sentence

The ducks dabbled in the stream. She sat by the pool, dabbling her feet in the cool water.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This isn’t the first time the chain has dabbled in Ranch sauce. — Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 24 June 2026 Walton had found his calling in the courts and lawyers, then as now, often dabbled in politics. — Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 30 June 2026 At the time, Garcia was also dabbling in fashion, making hats and clothes, and about to learn how to become a shoe cobbler. — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026 Berner admitted that she's dabbled in some of the trends, including light therapy, but hasn't undergone a laser treatment yet. — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for dabble

Word History

Etymology

perhaps frequentative of dab entry 2

First Known Use

1557, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of dabble was in 1557

Rhymes for dabble

See All Rhymes for dabble

Browse Nearby Words

dabber
dabble
dabbler
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dabble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dabble. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

dabble

verb
dab·​ble ˈdab-əl How to pronounce dabble (audio)
dabbled; dabbling -(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce dabble (audio)
1
: to wet by splashing : spatter
2
a
: to paddle or play in or as if in water
b
: to reach with the bill to the bottom of shallow water to obtain food
ducks dabbled in the pond
3
: to work or concern oneself lightly or without deep involvement
they dabble in poetry
dabbler
-(ə-)lər
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on dabble

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for dabble

Nglish: Translation of dabble for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All