dribble 1 of 2

noun

Definition of dribblenext
as in speck
a very small piece news about the remote earthquake was coming in dribbles

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dribble

2 of 2

verb

ˈdri-bəl How to pronounce dribble (audio)
1
as in to drip
to fall or let fall in or as if in drops water dribbling over the lip of the fountain

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to splash
to flow in a broken irregular stream rainwater dribbling along the partially clogged gutter

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to drool
to let saliva or some other substance flow from the mouth picnickers dribbling in eager anticipation of the hamburgers on the grill

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 dribble
Noun
Very good passer who can be a connector offensively, start the break himself, and has improved each year as a shooter, making 37% of his 3-pointers this season, including 45% when unguarded and even 38% off the dribble. — Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 23 June 2026 Messi made several dribbles at the backpedaling Algerian defenders before using his left foot to curve a sweeping shot past goalkeeper Luca Zidane for the first goal of the match. — Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 17 June 2026
Verb
Late in the first half, Michael Owen dribbled into the box and drew a penalty kick. — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 July 2026 Messi tracked down the loose ball, and dribbled towards the box before firing an absolutely perfect right-footed cross onto the head of Lautaro Martínez, who finished England’s dreams, and extended its pain. — Sean Gregory, Time, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for dribble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dribble
  1. speck
  2. drip
  3. splash
  4. drool
  5. bit
  6. flow
  7. wash
  8. spit
Noun
  • Hezlep House is on the market for a speck under $5 million with listing agent Nancy Valentine.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 13 Aug. 2026
  • That’s way off in the distance, barely a speck on the horizon.
    — Zach Przystup, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of speck
Verb
  • Sunburned in my memory was the wall of belts, cuffs and chokers dripping gloriously in silver studs.
    — Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Despite the flow of cold air from the gap in the doorjamb, every first-floor window dripped with condensation.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of drip
Verb
  • After a slow start during a loss to the Golden State Valkyries on Sunday, the Sparks splashed 23 points in the first quarter.
    — Jordan Puente, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Nothing is as refreshing as splashing on one of the best citrus perfumes on a hot, sticky summer day.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of splash
Verb
  • Who had broken a wrist on the back-yard flagstones, drooled cherry medicine down her sleeping face on the car ride back from the hospital.
    — Emma Cline, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Stuff like Caitlin Clark getting mugged with no foul being called, or Sophie Cunningham pointing at some obnoxious player, or ESPN drooling over a coach wearing a pro-trans shirt.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of drool
Noun
  • Bits of pickled veg and infused butters come with the bread course, and the Parker House-like bread itself is multicolored thanks to leftover bits of beet and ramp and carrot.
    — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Sometimes he can get pulled a little bit too far towards his near post with wide shots and open up space towards the back post.
    — Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of bit
Verb
  • According to regulators, the investments all flowed through Spaventa.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Using the streams as indicators of the groundwater flowing beneath them, Campbell is building a model to identify the best potential sites in Idaho for a subsurface dam.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of flow
Verb
  • If there isn’t room in the dishwasher for a container and its lid, wait for the next cycle or hand wash them to ensure both top and bottom are clean at the same time.
    — Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Martha Stewart, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The messages were created using temporary chalk and power-washing techniques, with a cleanup plan in place from the outset.
    — Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of wash
Verb
  • One of them apparently hooked the fish, but the shark spat out the bait, according to Kohanchi’s account of events in the video.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • When most of us think about edible seeds, our minds usually jump to chia seeds stirred into smoothies or overnight oats, pumpkin seeds roasted after carving jack-o'-lanterns each fall, or sunflower seeds chewed and spit out at a baseball game.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of spit

Browse Nearby Words

drew up
dribble
dribbled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dribble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dribble. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on dribble

Nglish: Translation of dribble for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dribble

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of divulge

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

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

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'
See More

Popular

See More

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

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All