pepper

verb

Definition of peppernext
1
as in to spray
to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on pepper the costume with flecks of glitter

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to sprinkle
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 pepper Perturbed, Denise angrily peppered her boyfriend with bullets during a dominating paintball performance. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 25 July 2026 The social media post opens with Kardashian standing behind a podium at a mock press conference as reporters pepper her with questions about her seemingly endless energy. — Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 24 July 2026 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, 22 July 2026 The world’s already richest clubs pepper the top of the list — Barcelona, second four years ago, are also second in our estimate — which stands to reason given it is their players who are most likely to feature on the world stage. — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for pepper
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pepper
  1. spray
  2. sprinkle
  3. dot
Verb
  • The food waste is sprayed with bleach, deodorizer and water before it’s covered and hauled to a landfill in Riverside County, east of Los Angeles.
    — Celina Tebor, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Miller helped subdue Manz, who was pepper-sprayed and arrested.
    — Zander Sherman, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of spray
Verb
  • This week brought me from Belgian Gothic seminaries to Victorian mansions, with a few aggressively average $4,700 apartments sprinkled among them to keep us grounded.
    — Nora DeLigter, Curbed, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Documentaries are sprinkled throughout other sections of TIFF, including Galas, Special Presentations, and Wavelengths.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of sprinkle
Verb
  • In one of the last shots, Camille’s character lies flat on a bed with stab wounds dotting her abdomen.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Decades later, fulfilling the typical American Dream of a home with white picket fence dotting the front lawn has become all but unattainable, as home prices have soared 235% since January 2000.
    — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of dot

Browse Nearby Words

pepped (up)
pepper
peppered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on pepper

Nglish: Translation of pepper for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pepper

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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