trickled; trickling
ˈtri-k(ə-)liŋ 
1
a
: to issue or fall in drops
b
: to flow in a thin gentle stream
2
a
: to move or go one by one or little by little
customers began to trickle in
b
: to dissipate slowly
his enthusiasm trickled away
: a thin, slow, or intermittent stream or movement
Examples of trickle in a Sentence
Verb
Tears trickled down her cheeks.
Water was trickling out of the gutter.
People trickled into the theater.
Donations have been trickling in.
Noun
We heard the trickle of water from the roof.
The flow of water slowed to a trickle.
Sales have slowed to a trickle in recent weeks.
A slow trickle of customers came into the store throughout the day.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ryan MacAsero, The Mercury News, 26 Dec. 2024
Lines of attendees trickled in for the meal — turkey, green beans, white bread and stuffing among the offerings.
—David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 25 Dec. 2024
Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
But work had slowed to a trickle during the financial crisis.
—Iain Martin, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for trickle 
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Verb
On Thursday, boat owners trickled into the harbor throughout the day to assess the losses.
—Ryan MacAsero, The Mercury News, 26 Dec. 2024
Lines of attendees trickled in for the meal — turkey, green beans, white bread and stuffing among the offerings.
—David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 25 Dec. 2024
Noun
While the sheer number of executions in the U.S. has slowed to a trickle, the process has become less humane.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
But work had slowed to a trickle during the financial crisis.
—Iain Martin, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for trickle
Dictionary Entries Near trickle
Cite this Entry
“Trickle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trickle. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.
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