sprinkle

1 of 2

verb

sprin·​kle ˈspriŋ-kəl How to pronounce sprinkle (audio)
sprinkled; sprinkling ˈspriŋ-k(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce sprinkle (audio)
Synonyms of sprinklenext

transitive verb

1
: to scatter in drops or particles
2
a
: to scatter over
b
: to scatter at intervals in or among : dot
sprinkled the speech with quips
c
: to wet lightly

intransitive verb

1
: to scatter a liquid in fine drops
2
: to rain lightly in scattered drops
sprinkler
ˈspriŋ-k(ə-)lər How to pronounce sprinkle (audio)
noun

sprinkle

2 of 2

noun

1
: the act or an instance of sprinkling
especially : a light rain
2
: sprinkling
3
sprinkles plural : small particles of candy used as a topping (as on ice cream) : jimmies

Synonyms of sprinkle

Relevance

Verb

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of sprinkle in a Sentence

Verb He sprinkled water on the plants. I sprinkled grass seed over the soil. She sprinkled the clothes before ironing them. “Is it raining?” “It's just sprinkling a little.” Noun It rained last night, but it was just a sprinkle. She topped the pasta with a sprinkle of parsley.
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.
Verb
Give me the candy candy and then some Reese and mini Hershey peanut chocolate sprinkled in. — Jake Ciely, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2026 Thoughtful furnishings and decor (including a wall of decorative plates) are sprinkled throughout. — Angela Tafoya, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026
Noun
Sprinkle the remaining teaspoon of oregano over all, then garnish with the parsley, tomato, and a sprinkle of feta (if using). — Candy Hom, AJC.com, 26 Oct. 2026 Saffron is an expensive spice, and a little sprinkle packs big flavor. — Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sprinkle

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English sprenklen, sprinclen; akin to Middle High German spreckel, sprenkel spot

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1575, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of sprinkle was in the 14th century

Rhymes for sprinkle

See All Rhymes for sprinkle

Browse Nearby Words

sprink
sprinkle
sprinkler
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sprinkle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sprinkle. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

sprinkle

1 of 2 verb
sprin·​kle ˈspriŋ-kəl How to pronounce sprinkle (audio)
sprinkled; sprinkling -k(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce sprinkle (audio)
1
: to scatter in drops or particles
sprinkle water
sprinkle grass seed over the soil
2
a
: to scatter over or in or among
sprinkle the spaghetti with grated cheese
b
: to wet lightly
sprinkle clothes before ironing
3
: to rain lightly in scattered drops
sprinkler
-k(ə-)lər How to pronounce sprinkle (audio)
noun

sprinkle

2 of 2 noun
1
: the act or an instance of sprinkling
especially : a light rain
2
: sprinkling

Legal Definition

sprinkle

transitive verb
sprin·​kle
sprinkled; sprinkling
: spray
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