sprinkle
Americanverb (used with object)
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sprinkles,
present (3rd person singular)
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sprinkled,
past participle, past
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sprinkling
present participle
-
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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sprinkles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sprinkled,
past participle, past
-
sprinkling
present participle
-
to scatter or disperse liquid, a powder, etc., in drops or particles.
-
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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sprinkles
plural
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the act or an instance of sprinkling.
-
Usually sprinkles. small particles of chocolate, candy, sugar, etc., used as a decorative topping for cookies, cakes, ice-cream cones, and the like.
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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
Synonym Usage
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
Derived Forms
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resprinkleverb
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intersprinkleverb (used with object)
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presprinkleverb (used with object)
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unsprinkledadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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sprinklesimple
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sprinklessimple
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have sprinkledperfect
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has sprinkledperfect
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am sprinklingprogressive
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are sprinklingprogressive
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is sprinklingprogressive
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have been sprinklingperfect progressive
-
has been sprinklingperfect progressive
Past
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sprinkledsimple
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had sprinkledperfect
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was sprinklingprogressive
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were sprinklingprogressive
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had been sprinklingperfect progressive
Future
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”; see spring
Explanation
A sprinkle is a light shower of something, often water. It’s also a verb that means to gently scatter something. A sprinkle of snow won’t cause school to close, but a sprinkle of fairy dust could transport you to a magical land. When there’s a sprinkle of rain, you should bring an umbrella just in case it turns into a downpour. A sprinkler causes a sprinkle of water to fall on the flowerbeds, and if it’s really hot, it can be fun to play under. At the Memorial Day parade, the firefighters might sprinkle confetti over the crowd — and if you’re lucky, they’ll sprinkle candy, too. Speaking of candy, a sprinkle is also a tiny treat often sprinkled on your ice cream.
Vocabulary lists containing sprinkle
Raining Cats and Dogs
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National Cookie Day
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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:
These simple, vegetarian, gluten-free treats are best served with a squeeze of lemon, a sprinkle of flaky salt and a glass of mineral-driven white wine.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
It’s also his first record sung predominantly in Spanish — along with the occasional sprinkle of English and Korean.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
During a red alert -- the highest level -- the ministry advises people to eat light, stay indoors in the hottest parts of the day and sprinkle themselves with cool water.
From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026
Packed with cookies, brownies, old-school sprinkle cakes or lemon drizzle, they are usually found in front gardens, on driveways or by the roadside.
From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026
The boys in our group had something that looked like a fishing net, and they would put the net on the ground and then sprinkle it with broken corn to attract birds.
From "Lost Boy, Lost Girl" by John Bul Dau
Her name was her brand, and so, too, was her profile: the full bosom and tiny waist, platinum wig and baubles like sprinkles on an ice cream cone, 5 feet tall standing in five-inch heels.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
Cake crumbles, graham-cracker crust toppings and star-spangled sprinkles are a whole other challenge.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
As ever, best known for its jam, sells products including rosé wine, teas, shortbread cookies and flower sprinkles.
From BBC ● Mar. 6, 2026
One wears sprinkles like confetti or a glaze sticky as the night and waits under hard light at an airport coffee counter.
From Salon ● Feb. 5, 2026
The priest recites the Latin prayers and sprinkles the coffin with holy water.
From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt
Coltrane is also deeply interested in the Buddhist principles of karma and dharma, or the moral duties and obligations to a right way of life, which are sprinkled throughout the novel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
Others like Roy Francis beforehand, Johnny Freeman, and Colin Dixon, also became established names, but never quite sprinkled the same stardust as Sir Billy.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
And who knew that 19th-century San Francisco socialites ground up iridescent abalone shells and sprinkled them on their invitations?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
People sprinkled cat litter, got mats out of their own vehicles to place under the tires.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
The witch-queen took her portion of roasted hare, and one of the knives, and sprinkled a little of the herbs onto the dish.
From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman
Mix together a beloved film simmering for decades, a sprinkling of social media hype and a generous glug of star power and you just might conjure up the long-awaited sequel to Practical Magic.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
Peppers followed, along with a healthy sprinkling of spices.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026
This is how you prevent the flat, powdery taste that comes from sprinkling seasoning over finished sauce.
From Salon ● Apr. 7, 2026
She mastered the social and political media by not being boring, sprinkling her views with salty talk and a sassy smile.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 5, 2026
A moment later, our friends felt the spray sprinkling against their bodies.
From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown
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.
