sprinkle
Americanverb (used with object)
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to scatter (a liquid, powder, etc.) in drops or particles.
She sprinkled sugar on the cake.
- Synonyms:
- rain, scatter, distribute
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to disperse or distribute here and there.
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to overspread with drops or particles of water, powder, or the like.
to sprinkle a lawn.
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to diversify or intersperse with objects scattered here and there.
verb (used without object)
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to scatter or disperse liquid, a powder, etc., in drops or particles.
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to be sprinkled.
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to rain slightly (often used impersonally with it as subject).
It may sprinkle this evening.
noun
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the act or an instance of sprinkling.
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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.
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a small quantity or number.
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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.
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Archaic. something used for sprinkling.
a holy-water sprinkle.
verb
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to scatter (liquid, powder, etc) in tiny particles or droplets over (something)
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(tr) to distribute over (something)
the field was sprinkled with flowers
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(intr) to drizzle slightly
noun
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the act or an instance of sprinkling or a quantity that is sprinkled
-
a slight drizzle
Related Words
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
- intersprinkle verb (used with object)
- presprinkle verb (used with object)
- resprinkle verb
- unsprinkled adjective
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”; spring
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.
Bake this beautiful concoction and sprinkle flaky salt and grated lemon zest on top before serving with pasta or over slices of fresh sourdough.
From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026
While German municipalities used to allow citizens to sprinkle salt on frozen walkways, this was banned years ago, in favour of just gravel, as the corrosive salt is known to attack the roots of trees.
From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026
I think that the whole album has a sprinkle of 2011 on it.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2026
Mississippi didn’t sprinkle fairy dust on its schools to improve them.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 21, 2026
If the fire won’t start sprinkle it with a little paraffin oil.
From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt
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.
