spraying

verb

present participle of spray
as in sprinkling
to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on sprayed the lawn with pesticides

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 spraying What’s less known is that indoor activity — cooking, keeping pets, burning candles and spraying perfumes — generates pollutants and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), Jennings adds. — Tracy Achonwa, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026 The couple then began screaming and spraying one of the children with a bottle of cologne, police say. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026 Combatting it typically requires spraying synthetic fungicides from large tractors, which is expensive and harmful to farmworkers, soil, and wine quality. — Matt Alderton, Time, 15 Oct. 2026 Yet after spraying the stuff up his nose for just three days, KFF notes the peptide user fell seriously ill. — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 14 Oct. 2026 Campbell briefly left the station and while outside, he was captured on surveillance footage taking an item out from his cross-body bag before returning to the station, approaching Mobley and spraying him with mace twice, prosecutors stated. — Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 13 Oct. 2026 Doechii spits at breakneck speed, spraying short-burst bars with precision over glitchy, anxiety-inducing production. — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 12 Oct. 2026 The utility has spent $96 million since 2010 to restore forests in this region, including spraying some pines in hopes of protecting them from infestation, said Madelene McDonald, its watershed planning manager. — Jennifer Oldham, Denver Post, 8 Oct. 2026 Workers could be seen spraying material on two sections of the pool’s interior. — Maura Judkis, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spraying
  1. sprinkling
  2. dotting
  3. peppering
Verb
  • The comet becomes a kind of cosmic litterbug, sprinkling dust and debris along its orbit.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Huberman occasionally mentions other potential peptide risks, like cancer, sprinkling them into advice on how to take them.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of sprinkling
Verb
  • There are other tables dotting the store, where people can dine on sushi, sandwiches or a plethora of other delectable treats.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Down a long path, a wooden fence separated walkers from white flowers dotting the expansive grassy landscape.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of dotting
Verb
  • For at least a month, the president has been peppering both executive actions and promises of cash payouts into his midterm campaign schedule and social media posts.
    — Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Noe was eager to nerd out about songwriting and records, peppering the conversation with praise for everyone from the Ohio indie band Wussy to the country singer Ashley McBryde.
    — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of peppering

Browse Nearby Words

sprayed
spraying
sprays
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Cite this Entry

“Spraying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spraying. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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