drizzle

American  

[driz-uhl] / ˈdrɪz əl /

verb (used without object)

• drizzles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• drizzled,
  past participle,  past
• drizzling
  present participle

1. to rain gently and steadily in fine drops; sprinkle.

   It drizzled throughout the night.

2. to fall in fine drops.

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verb (used with object)

• drizzles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• drizzled,
  past participle,  past
• drizzling
  present participle

1. to pour in a fine stream.

   Drizzle melted butter over the breadcrumb topping.

2. to rain or let fall in fine drops or particles; sprinkle.

   He then drizzled grated cheese over the hot pasta.

noun

1. a very light rain.

2. Meteorology. precipitation consisting of numerous minute droplets of water less than 0.02 inch (0.5 millimeter) in diameter.

drizzle British  

/ ˈdrɪzəl /

noun

1. very light rain, specifically consisting of droplets less than 0.5 mm in diameter

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verb

1. (intr) to rain lightly

2. (tr) to moisten with tiny droplets

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• drizzly
  adjective
• drizzly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• drizzling
  present
• drizzled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• drizzle
  simple
• drizzles
  simple
• have drizzled
  perfect
• has drizzled
  perfect
• am drizzling
  progressive
• are drizzling
  progressive
• is drizzling
  progressive
• have been drizzling
  perfect progressive
• has been drizzling
  perfect progressive

Past

• drizzled
  simple
• had drizzled
  perfect
• was drizzling
  progressive
• were drizzling
  progressive
• had been drizzling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will drizzle
  simple
• will have drizzled
  perfect
• will be drizzling
  progressive
• will have been drizzling
  perfect progressive

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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

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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."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

drizzle drizzles drizzled drizzling

In a light summer drizzle, Chris and I planted the sequoia a few dozen yards from the other tree.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

By Sunday this dying weather front will bring some thicker cloud to Wales and central England threatening a few patches of light rain or drizzle, but not much.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

Students cheered as they stacked rubbish bins against the entrance to a school outside Paris, while a speaker thumped out French rap to young people, teachers and parents mingling in the early morning drizzle.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

“Chances for drizzle and light rain linger through Friday,” the agency said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

In the evening there was a great rainbow over the eastern hills; and then the sunset was blotted out by a thick drizzle on the mountain-sides.

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

There's a saying in neighbouring Belgium: whenever it pours in Paris, it at least drizzles in Brussels.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

You can add syrup drizzles on top, you can add soft-top cold foam.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 1, 2026

Wednesday’s forecast look more like that typical June weather of overcast and drizzles.

From Seattle Times ● May 31, 2024

Temperatures will rise this week in Southern California, bringing summer weather back after brief drizzles over the weekend.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2023

Light streamed in the door, hazy, warped, blurred with drizzles of yellow.

From "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd

Fatty slices of avocado, dusted with everything bagel seasoning or drizzled in chili crisp?

From Salon ● Jan. 29, 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

I added a little more butter, then, with a thrill of reckless curiosity, drizzled in maple syrup, white miso, red pepper flakes, fennel seeds and oregano, watching each addition dissolve and bloom.

From Salon ● Nov. 18, 2025

“She’s kept that poor man strung along for years. May drizzled batter on the griddle in the shape of a big L. “This one’s yours,” she said.

From "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd

The last step was drizzling a tablespoon of good olive oil over the batter which was a trick I had learned in one of the myriad baking newsletters I now subscribed to.

From Salon ● Sep. 26, 2026

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

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

After the bus bounced back onto the road, Maribel just stood in the middle of the parking lot in the drizzling rain.

From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez

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Related Words

• dribble
• spray
• sprinkle

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