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
Brush the crust with milk and sprinkle with salt. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 26 June 2026 Another idea is to sprinkle in healthy fats like nuts, nut butter, and chia seeds. — Julia Ries Wexler, Health, 24 June 2026
Noun
This recipe keeps things simple with just a touch of lemon zest and a sprinkle of sparkling sugar to dress up the dessert. — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 5 July 2026 The menu includes classic flavors like plain glazed, milk chocolate and vanilla with sprinkles. — Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 6 July 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 7 Jul. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on sprinkle

Nglish: Translation of sprinkle for Spanish Speakers

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