peppered 1 of 2

adjective

as in sprinkled

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peppered

2 of 2

verb

past tense of pepper
1
as in sprayed
to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on pepper the costume with flecks of glitter

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in dotted
to mark with small spots especially unevenly spilled flour peppered the kitchen floor

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 peppered
Adjective
Highlighting the list is Luis Chávez, who scored a goal in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and peppered goalkeepers with 10 shots. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 12 June 2026 Other vegetarian items include a black peppered tofu dish with rice that can also be ordered vegan. — Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026 The peppered bird seed is perfectly safe for our avian friends, but rodents really don’t like it. — Joan Morris, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026 Members of Community Board 12 alerted the 66th Precinct on Tuesday after the hateful graffiti was found peppered throughout the park. — Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026 And still, given that Spurs’ creative issues persist and Monaco peppered Vicario’s goal with 23 shots, seemingly slicing through a defence which had previously looked so secure with ease, Tottenham escaped with another away point. — Elias Burke, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025 Yes, it's all peppered throughout. — Erin McMullen, Time, 25 Sep. 2025 In those early days, Nola’s bath time routine became peppered with questions. — Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
And, finally, new dungeons are being peppered throughout the new DLC zone to incentivize you to explore every nook and cranny. — Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026 Evander Da Silva Ferreira scored his 13th goal — as Cincinnati peppered Seattle keeper Andrew Thomas with four shots in the 24th minute — to give Cincinnati a 1-0 lead. — ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026 Moments earlier, Devers worked up a sweat as infield coach Ron Washington peppered him with grounders. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026 In response, the researchers peppered Copilot with questions about the guardrails that required user confirmation before the assistant could execute powerful commands. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026 Fiscal came back with a tombstone attempt, but Fenix escaped and peppered him with more kicks. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Six weeks after Beloozerov’s funeral, the FBI peppered Marina with questions during an hourslong interview at the agency’s field office in Washington. — Isabelle Chapman, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026 The typical guests were generally older couples, average age somewhere around 55-65, peppered here and there with larger groups of friends or families. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 July 2026 This is a sport in which bodies get crunched, ears, noses and faces get peppered, and matches can be won by an anaconda choke or a guillotine choke. — Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 25 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for peppered
  1. dotted
  2. sprayed
  3. sprinkled
  4. colored
  5. colorful
  6. stippled
  7. speckled
  8. marked
Adjective
  • For an easy finishing touch, toss a dotted floral throw pillow onto your sofa or bed to bring in warmer tones and cozier textures.
    — Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The dotted centers of the doodle-looking flowers were instead clusters of spotlights that could point in different directions.
    — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of dotted
Verb
  • Throughout the years, Graham was sprayed by grout on a construction site and splattered with oil while cutting timber.
    — Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Alex appeared to move to help her when officers pepper-sprayed him and wrestled him to the ground.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of sprayed
Verb
  • However, the Tar Heels have some dangerous playmakers sprinkled around the roster, including sophomore running back Demon June and junior wide receiver Jordan Shipp, who had 84 yards against TCU last season.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Coltrane is also deeply interested in the Buddhist principles of karma and dharma, or the moral duties and obligations to a right way of life, which are sprinkled throughout the novel.
    — Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of sprinkled
Adjective
  • Brightly colored and casual beach attire is a no-fail way to get flagged as a vulnerable tourist while abroad.
    — Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The brand, designed by Vincenzo Castaldo, is known for its vibrant colored gemstone jewels, chunky gold designs and bold, unconventional volumes.
    — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of colored
Adjective
  • One Baguette is covered in a kaleidoscopic geometric pattern of colorful beads; another resembles a tiny textile artwork in dusty pink, green, and turquoise.
    — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Mexico’s Jorge Campos became almost as famous for his wildly colorful uniforms as his saves.
    — Asli Pelit, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of colorful
Adjective
  • In a burst of primary color and trompe l’oeil trickery, five dice—red, yellow, blue, green, white—are suspended against a maroon field densely latticed with dice shapes, the cubes appearing simultaneously to lie stationary on its pip-stippled surface and to tumble downward through space.
    — James Quandt, Artforum, 2 June 2026
  • The delicate stippled pattern is reminiscent of shifting clouds that add depth and movement while maintaining an airiness.
    — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 25 May 2026
Definition of stippled
Adjective
  • Tegu These fat, speckled lizards hail from Argentina and arrived in Florida with a hunger for eggs— alligator, turtle, tortoise and bird alike.
    — Alex Harris August 25, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Bred at the organization’s Beckman Center for Conservation Research, the tiny, speckled frogs have been reintroduced at several different high-elevation mountain habitats, including Bluff Lake in the Big Bear Valley.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of speckled
Adjective
  • If trends continue this year, September will see a marked break from August, in which the S & P 500 has risen more than 2% and the Dow over 1%.
    — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Forty minutes further into the Catskills in Hensonville, 2025 Hot List winner The Henson is a marked example of a softer interpretation.
    — Dipal Acharya, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of marked

Browse Nearby Words

pepper
peppered
peppering
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Cite this Entry

“Peppered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peppered. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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