Thesaurus results for DOTS

dots 1 of 2

noun

plural of dot

as in flecks

a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part there was just a dot on the tablecloth where the food had spattered

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

dots

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of dot

as in sprays

to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on a hillside dotted with wildflowers

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in sprinkles

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 dots

Noun

Place five dots at random, with no three dots in the same line, and hunt for the four-cornered dentless shape. — Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2026 Fashion week attendees experimented with scale by styling pieces with large and small dots together. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 10 Aug. 2026 All that would be visible would be the nucleus, looking very much like all the other little red dots. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Caltrans has been slowly removing those 1960s-era signs with the letter studded with reflective dots and replacing them with newer ones. — Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026 At the bottom of the screen is a button for enabling Eco mode, and in the upper-right corner are three dots that take you to the settings screen. — John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 6 Aug. 2026 Throughout each collection, expect colorful stripes, vivid dots, and gingham, and limited-run, special pieces to covet. — Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 5 Aug. 2026 Typically, these dots are used in advanced solar cells, bio-imaging, and ultra-high-definition displays. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 4 Aug. 2026 The back of the tiles has a matching pattern with the dots, bams and craks (the game’s three main numerical suit types) printed in pink, green and blue. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Aug. 2026

Verb

Prepare to be dazzled from Warsaw’s highest viewing terrace atop Varso Tower, which proudly dots the skyline, before eating your way through the innovative food halls that define the coolest neighborhoods. — Kasia Dietz, Travel + Leisure, 13 May 2026 Japanese linens top the bed, and designer furniture dots the living space. — Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 1 May 2026 Barnett dots up Knight for a 57-yard catch-and-run. — Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 28 Oct. 2025 Rather than the stiff alien chitchat that dots his own screenplays, the characters in The Favourite trade the witty, venomous bon mots of The Great creator Tony McNamara. — A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025 The $3,211 per month maintenance fees cover a part-time doorman and a fitness studio, while the location provides easy access to Madison Square Park plus all the shopping and dining that dots the area. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 22 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dots

Noun

One image of her right knee showed flecks of blue plastic that prosecutors said came from an inflatable pool Burke used to collect blood while dismembering her body.

— Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 July 2026
Someone unfamiliar with salt bread might even suspect a major baking error, seeing a questionably smooth croissant that entirely missed the lamination process, adorned with only a few flecks of salt acting as its saving grace.

— Candy Hom, AJC.com, 19 July 2026

Definition of flecks

Verb

In a photo of West Pine Cliff Court, burned homes surround one still standing, as a firefighter sprays down the walls and roof facing the engulfed house next door.

— Amanda Jackson, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
In the confusion, Paula is able to subdue Sky by nailing his hand to the ground and then sprays Ashley in the face with the dry shampoo before fleeing the scene.

— Erin Qualey, Vulture, 10 June 2026

Definition of sprays

Verb

Kemery sprinkles the tiny seeds either in late fall or very early spring, when there’s still a chance of frost, since cold spells offer the best germination.

— SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026
Thomson sprinkles critique throughout his book like seasoning unevenly applied to a gamey piece of meat.

— Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026

Definition of sprinkles

Noun

Pay close attention to where leaves meet the stem, the underside of leaves, and within the petals for any movement or tiny specks.

— Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 4 Aug. 2026
The specks of dirt on the screen, that’s a byproduct of the process that Imax projectors use to advance the frames.

— Chris Stanton, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of specks

Verb

Lacy, who is famously fluid in his sexuality and laughs off any attempt to define it, peppers his songs with dreams of men and women, of wanting each yet leaving everyone.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026
Instead, each child interacts only with a sophisticated artificial intelligence, which peppers them with questions about everything from mathematics to philosophy.

— Niral Shah, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 2025

Definition of peppers

Verb

And since Jace’s death, she’s treated Baela as nothing more than a defective surveillance drone — a worthless piece of tech that never spots Vhagar.

— Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Korean lunar orbiter spots Falcon 9 crash site The collision was expected to create a crater about 60 feet wide and 12 feet deep and throw a plume of dust and rock outward into the air.

— Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of spots

Browse Nearby Words

doting (on)

dots

dotted

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Dots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dots. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of dots

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on dots

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

salvo

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

'Gaslighting,' 'Woke,' 'Democracy,' and Other Top Lookups

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes