drizzle
Americanverb (used without object)
-
drizzles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
drizzled,
past participle, past
-
drizzling
present participle
-
to rain gently and steadily in fine drops; sprinkle.
It drizzled throughout the night.
-
to fall in fine drops.
verb (used with object)
-
drizzles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
drizzled,
past participle, past
-
drizzling
present participle
-
to pour in a fine stream.
Drizzle melted butter over the breadcrumb topping.
-
to rain or let fall in fine drops or particles; sprinkle.
He then drizzled grated cheese over the hot pasta.
noun
-
a very light rain.
-
Meteorology. precipitation consisting of numerous minute droplets of water less than 0.02 inch (0.5 millimeter) in diameter.
noun
verb
-
(intr) to rain lightly
-
(tr) to moisten with tiny droplets
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
drizzlesimple
-
drizzlessimple
-
have drizzledperfect
-
has drizzledperfect
-
am drizzlingprogressive
-
are drizzlingprogressive
-
is drizzlingprogressive
-
have been drizzlingperfect progressive
-
has been drizzlingperfect progressive
Past
-
drizzledsimple
-
had drizzledperfect
-
was drizzlingprogressive
-
were drizzlingprogressive
-
had been drizzlingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of drizzle
First recorded in 1535–45; perhaps back formation from dryseling, dissimilated variant of Middle English drysning “fall (of dew)”; akin to Old English drēosan “to fall”; cognate with Old Saxon driosan, Gothic driusan
Explanation
Drizzle is a very light rain shower. You might grab an umbrella before you head out for a walk in the drizzle. When the weather report calls for drizzle, you know it's going to be a damp day, although you might leave your galoshes and rain suit at home. Drizzle is heavier than mist, but just a bit — and you can use it as a verb, too: "It's supposed to drizzle this evening, but our picnic is still on." The word drizzle stems from the now-obsolete drysning, "a falling of dew," from the Old English drēosan, "to fall."
Vocabulary lists containing drizzle
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!
Weather
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:
The drizzle cleared up as stars arrived at Guildhall, with Vinnie Jones, Kaya Scodelario, Joely Richardson and Ray Winstone all in attendance.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
“Chances for drizzle and light rain linger through Friday,” the agency said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
Top your dates with a walnut and finish with a generous drizzle of hot honey for some heat.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
Thousands of protesters started gathering from early Monday, defying a steady monsoon drizzle and police barricades put up on routes leading to the site.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
The drizzle let up long enough for us to shelter behind a rain tree at the end of the avenue and change into our new old clothes.
From "The Bridge Home" by Padma Venkatraman
You can add syrup drizzles on top, you can add soft-top cold foam.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 1, 2026
By Tuesday, the gray days are expected to return, and drizzles and light rain are possible, Wofford said.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 10, 2025
Wednesday’s forecast look more like that typical June weather of overcast and drizzles.
From Seattle Times ● May 31, 2024
He clearly relishes soft playing, with sensitive effects of distant bells and moonlit drizzles in Messiaen’s “La Colombe” and “Le Nombre Léger,” and a murmured sotto voce in Chopin’s Op.
From New York Times ● Mar. 20, 2024
His laughter forms a pale-blue cloud that kind of drizzles down as it dissolves.
From "A Mango-Shaped Space" by Wendy Mass
The next morning, I drizzled a little olive oil over the strata, put it into a 350-degree oven and went to shower.
From Salon ● Sep. 22, 2026
I ordered a stir fry of crab and broken rice with greens and yam that came topped with a fried soft-shell crab drizzled with shito, a Ghanaian chili sauce.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 2, 2026
“Meghan imagined what it would taste like to have a sage honey drizzled on her Thanksgiving turkey,” the newsletter revealed.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 4, 2025
By contrast, toxically naive Glinda is convinced that everyone could be kind if she drizzled them with honey.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 18, 2025
She slathered them in peanut butter and drizzled dark Karo syrup on top.
From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez
A rally this month organized by the graduate student union and faculty groups drew well over 100 people despite drizzling rain.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2025
Extra virgin olive oil, for example, is packed with antioxidants and beneficial compounds but its low smoke point means it is better for salad dressings or drizzling over food rather than deep frying.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2025
This small-batch, unfiltered olive oil is perfect for drizzling on burrata or sourdough.
From Salon ● Dec. 16, 2024
The bones, wrapped up in a bundle like Santa Claus’ bag of toys, slapped up and down on the back of the priest who carried them, drizzling grease down his back.
From Slate ● Dec. 15, 2024
It was drizzling, but even if there’d been no clouds the city sky was too tainted with light to show the stars.
From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman
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.
