dimple
Americannoun
-
a small, natural hollow area or crease, permanent or transient, in some soft part of the human body, especially one formed in the cheek in smiling.
-
any similar slight depression.
verb (used with object)
-
to mark with or as if with dimples; produce dimples in.
A smile dimpled her face.
-
Metalworking.
-
to dent (a metal sheet) so as to permit use of bolts or rivets with countersunk heads.
-
to mark (a metal object) with a drill point as a guide for further drilling.
-
verb (used without object)
noun
-
a small natural dent or crease in the flesh, esp on the cheeks or chin
-
any slight depression in a surface
-
a bubble or dent in glass
verb
-
to make or become dimpled
-
(intr) to produce dimples by smiling
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dimple
1350–1400; Middle English dimpel, Old English *dympel; cognate with German Tümpel pool
Explanation
A dimple is a small indentation in a surface. A dimple on your cheek is cute, but a dimple on your car door is not so cute. A dimple can be an imperfection or tiny dent, but it's often a little cleft in a person's cheek or chin. People whose dimples show when they smile are particularly charming, and a dimpled chin is often considered quite handsome. One theory of the word's origin is that it meant "pothole" in Old English, from a Proto-Germanic root.
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.
These prepayments “change the risk profile,” according to BofA analyst Dimple Gosai.
From Barron's • Jan. 21, 2026
Dimple has questioned the claim, saying that they had provided copies of their identity proof to the gurdwara so there was no reason for confusion.
From BBC • Sep. 25, 2023
“We now are concerned that ‘post-pandemic’ inflation is threatening to wipe out the progress women have achieved,” said Dimple Gosai, head of Bank of America’s U.S.
From New York Times • Mar. 8, 2023
The Pennington siblings — Nikisha, Danny, Dimple, Lizzie and Prynce — are each raised by a different mother, with the exception of the eldest and youngest.
From Washington Post • Sep. 8, 2022
And Dimple had been too angry to have a real conversation.
From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon
Definitions 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.
