Meaning & use
dabble
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Meanings
verbintransitive
To take part in an activity or subject casually, with little commitment or depth.
Grammar: Usually followed by in or with: dabble in painting.
Patterns
- dabble in something
- dabble with something
She likes to dabble in photography on weekends.
He dabbled in politics before becoming a teacher.
My uncle dabbles with stocks but never invests much.
verbtransitive or intransitive
To move your hands or feet lightly in water, splashing a little.
Grammar: With or without an object: dabble your toes in the stream.
Patterns
- dabble your feet in something
- dabble in the water
The children dabbled their feet in the cool stream.
We sat on the dock and dabbled in the lake.
She dabbled her fingers in the fountain.
Word forms
| third person singular | dabbles |
|---|---|
| past tense | dabbled |
| -ing form | dabbling |
Common combinations
- dabble in politics
- Several actors have dabbled in politics.
- dabble in the stock market
- He likes to dabble in the stock market with small sums.
- dabble with paint
- She dabbles with paint in the evenings.
- dabble in poetry
- He dabbled in poetry as a student.
- dabble your toes
- We dabbled our toes in the pool.
Synonyms and how they differ
- dip into
- Dip into suggests trying a little of something, such as a book, without any real engagement.
- tinker
- Tinker suggests fiddling with mechanical or practical things, while dabble fits hobbies and subjects.
- potter
- Potter is British and suggests relaxed, unhurried activity, with less hint of lack of skill.
- toy with
- Toy with suggests thinking about an idea without taking it seriously, rather than actually doing it.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: dabble or dab?
dabble vs dab
Dab means to touch something lightly and quickly, such as a cloth, and does not mean doing an activity half-heartedly.
Practice
He doesn't paint seriously; he just ____ in watercolors when he has time.
Choose one answer.
Dabbles in means takes part casually. Specializes and concentrates suggest serious commitment, which the sentence denies.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dabble”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.