dabbled; dabbling ˈda-b(ə-)liŋ 
1
: to work or involve oneself superficially or intermittently especially in a secondary activity or interest
dabbles in art
2
a
: to paddle, splash, or play in or as if in water
b
: to reach with the bill to the bottom of shallow water in order to obtain food
: to wet by splashing or by little dips or strokes : spatter
Examples of dabble in a Sentence
The ducks dabbled in the stream. She sat by the pool, dabbling her feet in the cool water.
Recent Examples on the Web
Looking at these deals tells you that this is not a company dabbling in data centers. —
Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026 Nic has been building a career in music under his DJ name, Nic Vans, and dabbling in acting, per Glamour. —Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026 Appearing on a cooking series may not be that much of a surprise given Markle has dabbled with food content and products recently. —Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 15 Apr. 2026 In terms of a lesser version of that profile, Cincinnati could be dabbling in the 6-foot-4, 240-pound edge market in this draft. —Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dabble
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.
Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026 Nic has been building a career in music under his DJ name, Nic Vans, and dabbling in acting, per Glamour. —Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026 Appearing on a cooking series may not be that much of a surprise given Markle has dabbled with food content and products recently. —Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 15 Apr. 2026 In terms of a lesser version of that profile, Cincinnati could be dabbling in the 6-foot-4, 240-pound edge market in this draft. —Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dabble
Cite this Entry
“Dabble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/dabble. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dabble
verb
dab·ble ˈdab-əl
dabbled; dabbling -(ə-)liŋ
1
: to wet by splashing : spatter
2
a
: to paddle or play in or as if in water
b
: to reach with the bill to the bottom of shallow water to obtain food
ducks dabbled in the pond
3
: to work or concern oneself lightly or without deep involvement
they dabble in poetry
dabbler
noun
-(ə-)lər
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