1
: a very small pool of usually dirty or muddy water
2
a
: an earthy mixture (as of clay, sand, and gravel) worked while wet into a compact mass that becomes impervious to water when dry
b
: a thin mixture of soil and water for puddling plants
puddled; puddling
ˈpəd-liŋ 
ˈpə-dᵊl-iŋ
: to dabble or wade around in a puddle
1
: to make muddy or turbid : muddle
2
a
: to work (a wet mixture of earth or concrete) into a dense impervious mass
b
: to subject (iron) to the process of puddling
3
a
: to strew with puddles
b
: to compact (soil) especially by working when too wet
c
: to dip the roots of (a plant) in a thin mud before transplanting
Synonyms
Examples of puddle in a Sentence
Noun
She accidentally stepped in a puddle and got her shoes wet.
After the storm, the road was covered in deep puddles.
Recent Examples on the Web
Megan Feringa, The Athletic, 2 Jan. 2025
Flooding isn't expected to be an issue, though the NWS warned drivers to watch out for large puddles of water forming on roadways.
—Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 28 Dec. 2024
Sallie Tisdale, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
Provide water sources: Offer shallow dishes with water or create a small puddling area with damp soil.
—Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 10 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for puddle 
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Noun
Her long light brown hair spools into a swelling red puddle around her.
—Megan Feringa, The Athletic, 2 Jan. 2025
Flooding isn't expected to be an issue, though the NWS warned drivers to watch out for large puddles of water forming on roadways.
—Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 28 Dec. 2024
Verb
The surface tension of elemental mercury is so high that the liquid beads up rather than puddling and doesn’t cling to much of anything, ceaselessly vacuuming into itself.
—Sallie Tisdale, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
Provide water sources: Offer shallow dishes with water or create a small puddling area with damp soil.
—Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 10 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for puddle
Dictionary Entries Near puddle
Cite this Entry
“Puddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puddle. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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