as in delighted
to take part in an activity in a superficial way
She dabbled in drawing and painting but sculpture was her favorite medium.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of dabbled
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
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
Nintendo has dabbled with skill points before, like in last year's Donkey Kong Bananza.
—
Jordan Minor,
PC Magazine,
30 June 2026
Sade Adu dabbled in film in 1986, acting alongside David Bowie in the musical Absolute Beginners, before returning to the studio for the band’s third album.
—
Al Shipley,
SPIN,
30 June 2026
And England have dabbled in the foreign market before with Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, and Italy’s Fabio Capello in the 2010 edition.
—
Gregg Evans,
New York Times,
28 June 2026
This isn’t the first time the chain has dabbled in Ranch sauce.
—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
24 June 2026
Bennett is concerned, for instance, that Hong could win her primary and then be defeated in November by Republican Tom Tiffany, fumbling the governorship of a swing state into the hands of a far-right Freedom Caucus member who dabbled in 2020 election conspiracy theories.
—
Will Lennon,
ABC News,
16 June 2026
Gulf governments, meanwhile, have dabbled abroad as well, while trying to address grievances among their own Shia populations to prevent them from becoming pawns of Tehran.
—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
3 July 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
Nintendo has dabbled with skill points before, like in last year's Donkey Kong Bananza.
—
Jordan Minor,
PC Magazine,
30 June 2026
Sade Adu dabbled in film in 1986, acting alongside David Bowie in the musical Absolute Beginners, before returning to the studio for the band’s third album.
—
Al Shipley,
SPIN,
30 June 2026
And England have dabbled in the foreign market before with Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, and Italy’s Fabio Capello in the 2010 edition.
—
Gregg Evans,
New York Times,
28 June 2026
This isn’t the first time the chain has dabbled in Ranch sauce.
—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
24 June 2026
Bennett is concerned, for instance, that Hong could win her primary and then be defeated in November by Republican Tom Tiffany, fumbling the governorship of a swing state into the hands of a far-right Freedom Caucus member who dabbled in 2020 election conspiracy theories.
—
Will Lennon,
ABC News,
16 June 2026
Gulf governments, meanwhile, have dabbled abroad as well, while trying to address grievances among their own Shia populations to prevent them from becoming pawns of Tehran.
—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dabbled
Verb
-
This lighthearted cameo delighted longtime fans and underscored that, while the late-night institution has closed, Colbert himself isn't disappearing from the spotlight anytime soon.
-
The role required an actor fluent in Russian and English, a detail that delighted Kharlamova.
Verb
-
Mexico returned from halftime with great momentum in front of a crowd that had been entertained at halftime by the Mexican band Maná.
-
Gillian's Wonderland Pier in Ocean City was a Jersey Shore landmark that entertained families for decades.
Verb
-
When Doncic played for the Dallas Mavericks and led them to the 2024 NBA Finals, his two centers — Derek Lively and Daniel Gafford — were exceptional in their roles as lob threats, blocking shots and rolling to the rim.
-
The rivalry is so intense that overnight in Mexico, fans played instruments, sang, and made as much noise as possible outside the Ecuador team hotel to deprive the squad of sleep.
Verb
-
But Nicky stays and watches, amused as Lestat declares his new outlook on life.
-
As Nix rehabbed from his second surgery, while also enjoying his new role as a first-time father following the birth of his daughter Riley, he was amused by a fervor sprouting across social media or on radio talk shows about his operation and the recovery that followed.
Verb
-
Meek lives with her dad, Smooch (Will Cobbs), a former Black Panther who now runs a roller rink, and her not-to-be-trifled-with grandma, Puddin (Lizan Mitchell).
Cite this Entry
“Dabbled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dabbled. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
