What does "dribble" mean?
Drool; saliva.
Dribble
/ˈdɹɪ.bɫ̩/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Drool; saliva.
- Grammar: dribble is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: dribbling, drip, drool, trickle.
- Useful contrasts: abundance, articulate, avalanches.
- Usage evidence: Tom can't dribble a basketball very well.
How to use "dribble"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "dribble" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "dribble" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "dribble" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "dribble" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "dribble" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "dribbling" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "dribble", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Drool; saliva. uncountable
- 2 the propulsion of a ball by repeated taps or kicks wordnet
- 3 Rubbish; worthless matter. colloquial, uncountable
"Your pieces are amateur at best—at worst they are a commercial hoax—something you’d find at Kmart for the kids to take back to their dorms. Frankly, I’m shocked you would waste my time with this dribble. You are no artist, my dear."
- 4 saliva spilling from the mouth wordnet
- 5 A weak, unsteady stream; a trickle. countable
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 flowing in drops; the formation and falling of drops of liquid wordnet
- 7 A small amount of a liquid. countable
- 8 The act of moving (with) a ball by kicking or bouncing it. countable
- 9 A card flourish in which the cards fall smoothly from one's hand. countable
Verb
- 1 In various ball games, to move (with) the ball, controlling its path by kicking or bouncing it repeatedly.
- 2 let saliva drivel from the mouth wordnet
- 3 To let saliva drip from the mouth; to drool.
"The baby dribbled onto its bib."
- 4 propel wordnet
- 5 To fall in drops or an unsteady stream; to trickle.
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 let or cause to fall in drops wordnet
- 7 To move or roll slowly. intransitive
"Denny slid over a couple of steps and swung feebly at it. The ball hit the wooden frame of his racket and dribbled into the net."
- 8 run or flow slowly, as in drops or in an unsteady stream wordnet
- 9 To let something fall in drips. transitive
"let her [the cook] follow him softly with a ladle full, and dribble it all the way up stairs to the dining-room"
- 10 To live or pass one's time in a trivial fashion. dated
- 11 To perform a card flourish in which the cards fall smoothly from one's hand.
Antonyms
Example
"Tom can't dribble a basketball very well."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "dribble"?
Common synonyms include: dribbling, drip, drool, trickle, ace, atom.
How do you use "dribble" in a sentence?
Tom can't dribble a basketball very well.
How do you pronounce "dribble"?
Pronounced /ˈdɹɪ.bɫ̩/.
Etymology
From drib + -le (frequentative suffix).