ladle

1 of 2

noun

la·dle ˈlā-dᵊl

Synonyms of ladle

: a deep-bowled long-handled spoon used especially for dipping up and conveying liquids

: something resembling a ladle in form or function

ladleful

ˈlā-dᵊl-ˌfu̇l

noun

ladle

2 of 2

verb

ladled; ladling ˈlā-dᵊl-iŋ

ˈlād-liŋ

transitive verb

: to take up and convey in or as if in a ladle

Synonyms of ladle

Relevance

Noun

spoon

Verb

scoop
spoon

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of ladle in a Sentence

Noun the chef looked around for a ladle to add the chicken broth to the pot Verb The soup was ladled into the bowls. ladling the wine into cups

Recent Examples on the Web

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Noun

Our chef ladles out bowls of harira, a thick tomato-y soup spiked with beans, herbs, and spices. — Jen Murphy, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Oct. 2026 Load up each bowl with a few good ladles, slurping every drop with an assist from crusty bread or warm rice. — Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Oct. 2026

Verb

The pasta should go on the plate first and then ladle on the sauce. — Andy Baraghani, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026 Others ladle it into quart containers, snap on lids, and pack the containers into boxes. — Brian Unger, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ladle

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English ladel, from Old English hlædel, from hladan

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1532, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of ladle was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

ladkin

ladle

ladleful

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Ladle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ladle. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

ladle

1 of 2 noun

la·dle ˈlād-ᵊl

: a spoon or dipper with a long handle and a deep bowl used for dipping

ladleful

-ˌfu̇l

noun

ladle

2 of 2 verb

ladled; ladling ˈlād-liŋ

-ᵊl-iŋ

: to take up and carry in or as if in a ladle

ladle

noun

verb

Synonyms of ladle

Examples of ladle in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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ladle

noun

verb

Synonyms of ladle

Examples of ladle in a Sentence

Word History

Rhymes for ladle

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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