as in delighting
to take part in an activity in a superficial way
She dabbled in drawing and painting but sculpture was her favorite medium.
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as in entertaining
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dabbling
Alayna Alvarez, Axios, 31 Mar. 2025
Success doesn’t come from dabbling in a dozen different directions.
—Melissa Houston, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
His father, Jean-Philippe, was a basketball player and after dabbling in basketball and soccer, Fils chose tennis.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2025
Clones are as much a sci-fi staple as robots, spaceships, and time travel, with every major franchise dabbling with duplicates somewhere down the line.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dabbling
Adjective
Thanks to wetland protections, dabbling and diving duck populations have jumped 24% since 1970, while waterbirds are up 16%, per the report.
—Alayna Alvarez, Axios, 31 Mar. 2025
Success doesn’t come from dabbling in a dozen different directions.
—Melissa Houston, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
His father, Jean-Philippe, was a basketball player and after dabbling in basketball and soccer, Fils chose tennis.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2025
Clones are as much a sci-fi staple as robots, spaceships, and time travel, with every major franchise dabbling with duplicates somewhere down the line.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dabbling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dabbling
Adjective
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The collection is by Hudson Grace, a home decor and entertaining brand that also has their own line of signature-scented candles, soaps, and cleaning products.—
Ella Field,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 July 2025
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Although during one segment of the show something felt a bit off in the air, her captivating optimism kept the show going and entertaining.—
Tiffany Acosta,
AZCentral.com,
13 July 2025
Verb
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Further factions emerge from there, as people start playing the game within the Squid Game, forming pockets of friendships and alliances, real and fake.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
26 Dec. 2024
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The World Junior tournament is always good for some surprises; a couple of unexpected players emerging as top scorers or playing well in big moments, or a traditional top nation getting upset in the medal round.—
Corey Pronman,
The Athletic,
26 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Through goofy quips, energetic displays of enthusiasm, and consistent perseverance, Derek continues to push himself and his classmates toward a productive (and silly) semester of learning.—
Caroline Beck,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
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Despite his affectionate nature and goofy charm, no one ever came to reclaim him—and no one has shown any interest in him since.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 July 2025
Adjective
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From fun bikinis and breezy sundresses to wide-leg pants and cute tops for up to 65 percent off, these picks from Amazon, Nordstrom Rack, Old Navy, and Abercrombie all come in at under $50.—
Jeaneen Russell,
People.com,
14 July 2025
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Snapping photos and posting them on social media is a fun way to share a travel adventure.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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The case was labeled as frivolous by 1st Amendment experts.—
Stephen Battaglio,
Los Angeles Times,
3 July 2025
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The move prompted an outcry by First Amendment experts who denounced the lawsuit as frivolous and the talks to reach Tuesday's settlement as a shake-down.—
MEG JAMES LOS ANGELES TIMES,
arkansasonline.com,
3 July 2025
Adjective
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For two-thirds of the day, as the peloton rolled through Brittany, the majority of soundbites ranged from frivolous to downright amusing.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
12 July 2025
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The scene was more amusing than threatening — onlookers whipped out cell phone cameras to document the sight of horses traversing the grounds.—
Jim Newton,
Mercury News,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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One of Netflix’s big movie plays for July is the sequel to its very silly but very fun action fantasy film The Old Guard.—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
1 July 2025
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None of that, however, excuses the silly and juvenile behavior of the Assembly’s majority Democrats last week when the chamber took up a resolution commemorating Pride month.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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Frankly, the more trifling the crime, the better this franchise’s comedy aspirations would work.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2025
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With that much water needed for even the most trifling tasks, the natural question becomes: How does that water reach those data centers, let alone the world’s farms and factories?—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
28 May 2010
Cite this Entry
“Dabbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dabbling. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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