Meaning & use
spot
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Meanings
nouncountable
A particular place, especially one that you can describe or return to, such as a place to sit or visit.
Grammar: Countable; often follows an adjective: a quiet spot.
Patterns
- a spot for something
- a spot to do something
We found a shady spot under the tree for our picnic.
This is my favorite spot for fishing.
The hotel is in a lovely spot beside the lake.
nouncountable
A small round mark or stain, or a patch of different color on a surface.
Grammar: Countable: a spot, three spots; can also mean a pimple on the skin in British English.
Patterns
- a spot of something
- spots on something
There was a spot of grease on his shirt.
The cat has black spots on its back.
She rubbed the spot with a damp cloth.
verbtransitive
To notice or see someone or something, often quickly or in a crowd or from far away.
Grammar: Takes an object: spot a mistake, not spot at a mistake.
Patterns
- spot someone
- spot something
- spot someone doing something
I spotted my sister in the crowd at the station.
Can you spot the difference between these two pictures?
The lifeguard spotted a swimmer in trouble.
nouncountableinformal
A position or opening in a team, list, program or line.
Grammar: Usually followed by on, in or for: a spot on the team.
Patterns
- a spot on something
- a spot in something
She won a spot on the national swimming team.
There is one spot left in the evening class.
He lost his spot in the starting lineup.
nouncountableinformal
A short slot or segment in a broadcast or show, such as an advertisement or a guest appearance.
Grammar: Often used in media: a TV spot, a radio spot.
Patterns
- a spot on something
The band has a ten-minute spot on the morning show.
The company bought a thirty-second spot during the game.
Her comedy spot was the highlight of the festival.
Word forms
| plural | spots |
|---|---|
| third person singular | spots |
| past tense | spotted |
| past participle | spotted |
| -ing form | spotting |
Common combinations
- on the spot
- The manager made the decision on the spot.
- a soft spot for
- I have a soft spot for old detective films.
- blind spot
- Check your blind spot before changing lanes.
- spot a mistake
- The editor spotted a mistake in the first paragraph.
- tourist spot
- The old harbor is a popular tourist spot.
- hit the spot
- That cold lemonade really hit the spot.
Synonyms and how they differ
- place
- Place is the general word for any location, while spot suggests a smaller, more specific point.
- notice
- Notice means become aware of something, but spot suggests seeing it quickly or from a distance.
- mark
- Mark is a general word for any visible blemish, whereas spot is usually round and small.
- spy
- Spy as a verb means catch sight of something, often something hidden or far off, and feels slightly more literary than spot.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: spot or speck?
spot vs speck
A speck is a tiny particle or mark, much smaller than a spot.
Practice
From the top of the hill, we ___ a small boat far out on the sea.
Choose one answer.
The sentence is in the past tense, so the correct form is spotted. Spots and spot are present forms and spotting needs an auxiliary verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “spot”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.