stipple

verb

ˈsti-pəl How to pronounce stipple (audio)
Definition of stipplenext
as in to dot
to mark with small spots especially unevenly the sunlight falling through the lace curtain stippled her face

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 stipple Yellow stippling on plant leaves and sticky honeydew residue can be signs of pests, but pests can also cause leaf wilting and stunted growth. — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Jan. 2026 Two pumps on the back of my hand did the trick, stippling it across my red-speckled cheeks and around my nose. — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 21 Dec. 2025 Inside the passage, the lips of water beyond my torchlight are coal black, stippled with freckles of sediment. — Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025 The yellowing, eventually turning to brown, starts with stippling or tiny dots on the foliage where mites have pierced the leaves’ epidermis with their stylets or sucking mouthparts. — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 20 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stipple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stipple
  1. dot
  2. sprinkle
  3. stain
  4. marble
  5. dye
Verb
  • Bright blue stars dot the spiral's side, with one particularly luminous star taking the spotlight with four diffraction spikes — created by light bending through the inner workings of Hubble's camera — emanating from its center.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Some of them have panoramic views of white windmills, which dot the coastline of the Taiwan Strait like slender sentries.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of dot
Verb
  • Set the scene The hotel is located in the town of Lenox, home to a balanced blend of family locals with young tourists sprinkled very sparsely throughout.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Drizzle with spicy lime dressing and scallion oil and sprinkle with peanuts and sesame seeds.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of sprinkle
Verb
  • The armpits of the Quran shirt are stained with centuries-old sweat.
    — Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • In 2005, a vote-buying scheme known as Mensalão led to the conviction of senior PT figures and stained the party’s image.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of stain
Verb
  • The Parthenon marbles date to the 5th century BCE and were originally created for the Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens.
    — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The meat on the bones varies in thickness and, thanks to marbling and tough connective tissue, short ribs are ideal for slow cooking.
    — Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of marble
Verb
  • When my mom was younger, the studio dyed her hair blonde, and my daughter is blonde.
    — Gustavo Egusquiza, Vanity Fair, 22 Oct. 2026
  • According to Triarchy, one pair of jeans can take around 100 bottles of water or roughly 75 liters to dye and finish.
    — Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of dye

Browse Nearby Words

stipends
stipple
stippled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stipple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stipple. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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