dabble

American  

[dab-uhl] / ˈdæb əl /

verb (used without object)

dabbled, dabbling

1. to play and splash in or as if in water, especially with the hands.

2. to work at anything in an irregular or superficial manner.

   to dabble in literature.

   Synonyms:

   dally, toy, fiddle, putter

3. (of a duck) to feed on shallow-water vegetation with rapid, splashing movements of the bill.

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verb (used with object)

dabbled, dabbling

1. to wet slightly in or with a liquid; splash; spatter.

2. Chiefly South Midland U.S. to wash or rinse off lightly.

dabble British  

/ ˈdæbəl /

verb

1. to dip, move, or splash (the fingers, feet, etc) in a liquid

2. (intr; usually foll by in, with, or at) to deal (with) or work (at) frivolously or superficially; play (at)

3. (tr) to daub, mottle, splash, or smear

   his face was dabbled with paint

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Other Word Forms

• dabbler
  noun
• dabblingly
  adverb
• undabbled
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of dabble

1550–60; probably dab ¹ + -le; compare Dutch dabbelen, dabben

Explanation

You dabble when you are a little bit involved in an activity, such as an art form or a hobby. Maybe you only dabble in mystery novels, but you are very knowledgeable about comic books. The word dabble can also often relate to water. It can mean “to splash playfully,” or “to get just a little wet.” A bird can also dabble in water by dipping its bill into it. Each of these meanings of dabble is often followed by the word in. For example, a duck may dabble in the water (and then dribble a few drops afterward from its bill), and you may dabble in shrubbery art.

Example Sentences

But not having the program dabble in political humor is a business decision.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

Coinbase’s recent announcement made some social-media users wonder if it was actually a good thing for nontechnical staffers to dabble in coding, even with AI assistance.

From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026

There is no shame in Gyllenhaal’s game, and her honest excitement to dabble with references and emotion is refreshing, even when these moments grate.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

Vijay's reasoning was explicit: politics, he argued, is not something one can dabble in.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2026

Sammy had lost interest in the conversation and was lying on his stomach on the deck, trying to dabble his hand in the water.

From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt