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
  • The backstory Eagle-eyed guests will spot the curious Greek elements dotted around—the urns in the bathroom, the Acropolis paintings in the dining room, the Hellenic motif on the plates.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Arid, rolling hills, dotted with saguaro cactuses, sat beneath the large blue sky.
    — Trisha Thadani Kirsten Potter Tanya Pérez Devin Murphy, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of dot
Verb
  • The songs, contemporary pop sprinkled with disco pixie dust, are of a piece with the tone of Benanti’s self-skewering comedy.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Cora, Dombrowski’s manager with the 2018 World Series champion Boston Red Sox, isn’t going to walk into the Phillies’ clubhouse and sprinkle magic pixie dust on a club that clearly is trending in the wrong direction.
    — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of sprinkle
Verb
  • Bookshelves are crammed with novels and almanacs, the wood boards of the ceilings stained dark in delicious contrast to the clean white walls and creamy linen furnishings.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The yellow color from the fenbendazole stained his white goatee.
    — Trisha Thadani Kirsten Potter Tanya Pérez Devin Murphy, New York Times, 4 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
  • The locs have been dyed half red, half blonde, and Dastine decides to give Charles’s color new life today, along with a twist out.
    — Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Fiery performance artist Maureen (Lazy Violet), with hair dyed half purple and half platinum, moons the crowd of one (me) — and drag queen Angel (Jeevan Braich) shows up fashionably late halfway through the number, just as the character would.
    — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 8 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 9 Oct. 2026.

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