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
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1
2
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
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Recent Examples of dots
K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 24 Apr. 2026
That said, a few words readily available would help connect the dots without undermining the provocation.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Under a magnifying glass, those moving yellow, red, brown, or green dots have eight legs to help with identification.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 22 Apr. 2026
To access security settings, tap the three dots in the upper-right corner of the My Home screen.
—John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 21 Apr. 2026
The monitor showed a slightly bent rectangle covered with dots and lines, which didn’t look so bad to me.
—Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Small temperature shifts tied to her hormonal cycle were also a factor, which was an important eye-opener and was the most consequential factor in connecting the dots.
—Allison Aubrey, NPR, 20 Apr. 2026
Connecting the dots Back in 2022, Dixon and Cove, who works for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, made a rather macabre discovery, but one that has turned out to be a silver lining in the war against the Burmese python.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
Earlier this month, the Margo's Got Money Troubles star attended an event in New York City dressed in navy slacks, nude pumps, and a smart tie-neck blouse covered in polka-dots (a pattern that’s no stranger to the celebrity fashion world).
—Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
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
Noun
These markers could be as simple as a grid of dots on the outside of the window or as complex as ultraviolet coatings that birds can see but humans can’t.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 24 Apr. 2026
That said, a few words readily available would help connect the dots without undermining the provocation.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Under a magnifying glass, those moving yellow, red, brown, or green dots have eight legs to help with identification.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 22 Apr. 2026
To access security settings, tap the three dots in the upper-right corner of the My Home screen.
—John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 21 Apr. 2026
The monitor showed a slightly bent rectangle covered with dots and lines, which didn’t look so bad to me.
—Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Small temperature shifts tied to her hormonal cycle were also a factor, which was an important eye-opener and was the most consequential factor in connecting the dots.
—Allison Aubrey, NPR, 20 Apr. 2026
Connecting the dots Back in 2022, Dixon and Cove, who works for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, made a rather macabre discovery, but one that has turned out to be a silver lining in the war against the Burmese python.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
Earlier this month, the Margo's Got Money Troubles star attended an event in New York City dressed in navy slacks, nude pumps, and a smart tie-neck blouse covered in polka-dots (a pattern that’s no stranger to the celebrity fashion world).
—Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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
-
Its design, crafted by Russell Sage Studio, is meant to be an on-the-nose reflection of the distillery's famed product, with bronzy walls the color of its single malt, and a ceiling painted to look like barley, reflecting the morning dew with flecks of gold throughout.—
Alessandra Amodio,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Berber carpet Berber is a type of loop pile carpet with flecks of color.—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When it is finished, maybe a year from now, Bayfront Park will be the city’s front yard, a gathering place to celebrate culture and be dazzled by technology -- laser beams that shoot into the evening sky and a fountain that sprays 60 feet high.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Vicks Sinex Severe, for example, sprays an ultrafine mist that is less likely to irritate your nostrils with its residue.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But for every shirt bearing a slogan, there were ten cheeks covered in (biodegradable) glitter like the kind that Diggins sprinkles on her face before every race.—
Bill McKibben,
New Yorker,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Groff sprinkles this punchy, athletic syntax over a slew of intricate settings.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Featuring bolder, thicker spots at the top and more refined, micro specks down the skirt, this mini dress makes all-day, fashionable wear easier than ever.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Silvery or mottled patches on leaves, brown or distorted petal edges, dark specks (feces) or flower buds that fail to open are signs of thrips.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Instead, the original body features a patina that peppers its exterior and is a point of celebration, preserved and maintained for true uniqueness.—
Peter Nelson,
Robb Report,
3 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
This exercise is intended to not only show where the Rangers have players in place for 2026-27, and which spots those players are likely to occupy, but also to highlight the most glaring holes.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The two have starred in a number of commercials — including the 2025 and 2026 Super Bowl spots — for the beer brand, putting their hilarious dynamic on display.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This was a black one with blotches faintly outlined in pale yellow, a beautiful but deadly looking animal.—
Dr. C. E. Kuschel,
Outdoor Life,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The eggs vary in color—from white to blue to brown—with speckles, blotches, and other markings and are also distinctive in shape.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
What Sacks doesn’t get is that by financing and diplomatically supporting Israel, our country makes the crimes of the Israeli government possible, which stains America’s reputation in the world and drains our Treasury.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Every failure of the state now stains the turban as well as the uniform.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dots. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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