dribbled; dribbling
ˈdri-b(ə-)liŋ 
1
: to issue sporadically and in small bits
2
: to let or cause to fall in drops little by little
3
a
: to propel by successive slight taps or bounces with hand, foot, or stick
dribble a basketball
dribble a puck
b
: to hit (a ball) without much force so that it bounces slowly along the ground
1
: to fall or flow in drops or in a thin intermittent stream : trickle
2
: to let saliva trickle from the corner of the mouth : drool
3
: to come or issue in piecemeal or desultory fashion
4
1
: a tiny or insignificant bit or quantity
2
: a small trickling stream or flow
3
: an act, instance, or manner of dribbling a ball or puck
Examples of dribble in a Sentence
Verb
Juice dribbled down his chin.
She accidentally dribbled wine onto the rug.
Dribble olive oil over the warm bread before serving.
She dribbled across the basketball court.
He skillfully dribbled the soccer ball towards the goal.
Noun
He wiped a dribble of juice from the corner of the baby's mouth.
She gave the ball a dribble before passing it.
Recent Examples on the Web
Devin Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025
Clifford set up with ball along the left corner of the arc, pump faked from three, saw a lane open up and dribbled the baseline all the way to the hoop.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 1 Mar. 2025
Breven Honda, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2025
Ball caught the pass from White at 9.6 seconds, took an extra dribble at nine seconds flat, and released the shot at 7.8 seconds — an eternity by NBA standards.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dribble
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Verb
Hampton, collected the rebound from his block, dribbled down the right side of the court and knocked down a three-pointer to cut the Cardinals’ lead in half.
—Devin Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025
Clifford set up with ball along the left corner of the arc, pump faked from three, saw a lane open up and dribbled the baseline all the way to the hoop.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 1 Mar. 2025
Noun
In the 24th minute, junior Annabel Grentz, who had open space, took a couple of dribbles up the field and fired the ball into the net to give San Diego a 1-0 lead.
—Breven Honda, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2025
Ball caught the pass from White at 9.6 seconds, took an extra dribble at nine seconds flat, and released the shot at 7.8 seconds — an eternity by NBA standards.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dribble
Cite this Entry
“Dribble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dribble. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dribble
2 of 2 noun1
: a small trickling flow
2
: an act or instance of dribbling a ball or puck
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