dotting

verb

present participle of dot
1
as in spraying
to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on a hillside dotted with wildflowers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in sprinkling
to mark with small spots especially unevenly the practice of some chefs of positioning a small portion of food in the center and dotting the rest of the plate with sauce

Synonyms & Similar 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 dotting This is kind of new these kinds of farms dotting the West Bank. — Lesley Stahl, CBS News, 11 Oct. 2026 Some were obvious, like Lucia Pieroni’s crafty crystals dotting eyes at Celine and silver-leaf foreheads by makeup artist Fara Homidi at Gabriela Hearst. — Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026 While timber and bountiful harvests may not seem to have anything to do with the planes dotting Atlanta’s skies, a new coalition sees potential in connecting the two. — Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 30 Sep. 2026 London/New York — The bars, theaters and restaurants dotting central London may not seem like a conflict zone. — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026 The shoe’s name derives from the studded accents seen throughout, dotting the straps for a punk-rock finish. — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026 Laurie came home soon after, finding him with a trail of blood dotting his shirt. — Mirin Fader, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 Lee insisted on including the American flags dotting lawns, the general sense of unease and, in a somber touch, a credits sequence featuring the Tribute in Light. — Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026 There are countless other chullpas (round, stone structures that look something between a massive pizza oven and a small lighthouse) that house ancient remains, just dotting the foothills of the mountains here. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dotting
  1. spraying
  2. sprinkling
  3. peppering
  4. staining
Verb
  • 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
Definition of spraying
Verb
  • 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
  • At Waxwork, the band got to make the vinyl themselves by sprinkling the dust onto the wax and pressing it.
    — Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of sprinkling
Verb
  • 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
  • In 2016, the duo then cofounded Monse, the luxury American fashion brand known for reworking masculine staples and peppering in cool girl femininity.
    — WWD Staff, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of peppering
Verb
  • Tips To Keep Your Sink Clean Longer Rinse the sink after every use to get rid of food debris that can cause odors, get rid of soap scum, and reduce staining.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Hydrogen peroxide acts as a mild disinfectant that kills mold and bacteria and is very helpful for light staining.
    — Asia London Palomba, The Spruce, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of staining

Browse Nearby Words

dottiness
dotting
dotty
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dotting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dotting. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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