sprinkle
Americanverb (used with object)
-
sprinkles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sprinkled,
past participle, past
-
sprinkling
present participle
-
to scatter (a liquid, powder, etc.) in drops or particles.
She sprinkled sugar on the cake.
- Synonyms:
- rain, scatter, distribute
-
to disperse or distribute here and there.
-
to overspread with drops or particles of water, powder, or the like.
to sprinkle a lawn.
-
to diversify or intersperse with objects scattered here and there.
verb (used without object)
-
sprinkles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sprinkled,
past participle, past
-
sprinkling
present participle
-
to scatter or disperse liquid, a powder, etc., in drops or particles.
-
to be sprinkled.
-
to rain slightly (often used impersonally with it as subject).
It may sprinkle this evening.
noun
-
sprinkles
plural
-
the act or an instance of sprinkling.
-
Usually sprinkles. small particles of chocolate, candy, sugar, etc., used as a decorative topping for cookies, cakes, ice-cream cones, and the like.
-
a light rain.
-
a small quantity or number.
-
a small party given to celebrate a mother-to-be or bride-to-be as an alternative to a larger bridal or baby shower.
We decided to skip the big baby shower and just have a sprinkle this time.
-
Archaic. something used for sprinkling.
a holy-water sprinkle.
verb
-
to scatter (liquid, powder, etc) in tiny particles or droplets over (something)
-
(tr) to distribute over (something)
the field was sprinkled with flowers
-
(intr) to drizzle slightly
noun
-
the act or an instance of sprinkling or a quantity that is sprinkled
-
a slight drizzle
Synonym Usage
Sprinkle, scatter, strew mean to fling, spread, or disperse. To sprinkle means to fling about small drops or particles: to sprinkle water on clothes, powder on plants. To scatter is to disperse or spread widely: to scatter seeds. To strew is to scatter, especially in such a way as to cover or partially cover a surface: to strew flowers on a grave.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
resprinkleverb
-
intersprinkleverb (used with object)
-
presprinkleverb (used with object)
-
unsprinkledadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
sprinklesimple
-
sprinklessimple
-
have sprinkledperfect
-
has sprinkledperfect
-
am sprinklingprogressive
-
are sprinklingprogressive
-
is sprinklingprogressive
-
have been sprinklingperfect progressive
-
has been sprinklingperfect progressive
Past
-
sprinkledsimple
-
had sprinkledperfect
-
was sprinklingprogressive
-
were sprinklingprogressive
-
had been sprinklingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of sprinkle
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb sprenklen; cognate with Dutch sprenkelen, German sprenkeln; akin to Old English sprengan “to sprinkle, make (something) spring, scatter,” causative of springan “to spring”; see spring
Explanation
A sprinkle is a light shower of something, often water. It’s also a verb that means to gently scatter something. A sprinkle of snow won’t cause school to close, but a sprinkle of fairy dust could transport you to a magical land. When there’s a sprinkle of rain, you should bring an umbrella just in case it turns into a downpour. A sprinkler causes a sprinkle of water to fall on the flowerbeds, and if it’s really hot, it can be fun to play under. At the Memorial Day parade, the firefighters might sprinkle confetti over the crowd — and if you’re lucky, they’ll sprinkle candy, too. Speaking of candy, a sprinkle is also a tiny treat often sprinkled on your ice cream.
Vocabulary lists containing sprinkle
Raining Cats and Dogs
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
National Cookie Day
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Katie: I’ve seen brands sprinkle those old marketer favorites—surprise and delight—across Reddit, direct-messaging fans for gifting and giveaways.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
It’s also his first record sung predominantly in Spanish — along with the occasional sprinkle of English and Korean.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
During a red alert -- the highest level -- the ministry advises people to eat light, stay indoors in the hottest parts of the day and sprinkle themselves with cool water.
From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026
Powerful, quick and with a sprinkle of star dust that is Luis Diaz.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
Sometimes, hokay, I admit, sometimes I also sprinkle soft sounds, like the childrens saying very softly, “Papa, Papa,” and “Mama, Mama,” and “Nonna” and “Nonno.”
From "The Unfinished Angel" by Sharon Creech
"If you start out with pure vanilla ice cream but start mixing in sprinkles soon after, it won't be long until you can no longer find any pristine, plain, vanilla ice cream," Zhu said.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026
Her name was her brand, and so, too, was her profile: the full bosom and tiny waist, platinum wig and baubles like sprinkles on an ice cream cone, 5 feet tall standing in five-inch heels.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
Knicks Fever has also upended the city’s food scene, causing a run on blue-and-orange dyes, sprinkles and other decorative instruments of culinary science.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 13, 2026
A "chocolate doughnut Easter egg" triggers curiosity - a shell blended with shortbread and fudge pieces, topped with sprinkles.
From BBC ● Mar. 27, 2026
Inside sits a bright purple, ube-flavored spongey cake with white icing, rainbow sprinkles, and glittery candles.
From "The House That Lou Built" by Mae Respicio
Since the start of her campaign, Raman has sprinkled Spanglish into her speeches and sometimes offered whole sentences in softly accented, lightly stilted Spanish.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
Articles about AI are sprinkled with metaphors that evoke frightening cinematic images.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
But she also sprinkled in a handful of creepy cover versions.
From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026
Coltrane is also deeply interested in the Buddhist principles of karma and dharma, or the moral duties and obligations to a right way of life, which are sprinkled throughout the novel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
At last Medea spoke and told him how to use the charm and that when it was sprinkled on his weapons it would make them as well as himself invincible for a day.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
The 5-foot-8 Atlanta performer, who has been told his voice presents as friendly “with a sprinkling of nerdy fun,” plays a Jason Momoa-sized commander.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
Despite a sprinkling of votes for other players, Myha'la became the second casualty of the episode.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
This is how you prevent the flat, powdery taste that comes from sprinkling seasoning over finished sauce.
From Salon ● Apr. 7, 2026
The technique involves attaching an original sketch to an adhesive backing, cutting it out, strategically sprinkling sand on the desired areas, then removing any misplaced grains one by one.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 25, 2026
He intoned a prayer and ended by sprinkling holy water over ElViejo.
From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
