dimple
noun · verb
Simple meaning
A small natural hollow in the cheek or chin.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
dimpuhlSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈdɪmpəl
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
A small natural hollow in the cheek or chin
“His dimple appeared whenever he smiled.”
Specifically, a small natural depression on the skin, especially on the face near the corners of the mouth.
A small depression or indentation in a surface.
Any slight depression in a surface
“There are approximately 336 dimples on a golf ball.”
A small depression, made with a punch on a metal object, as a guide for further drilling.
verb
To form dimples; to sink into depressions or little inequalities.
intransitive
To create a dimple in one's face by smiling.
Produce dimples while smiling
“The child dimpled up to the adults.”
Mark with, or as if with, dimples
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C2 · Proficient (estimated)
- Frequency
- Rare
- Formality
- Technical
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: A small natural hollow in the cheek or chin
Used this way, dimple is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It stays understated rather than dramatic. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“His dimple appeared whenever he smiled.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Mild
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
How It’s Used
The word’s distinct uses, one example each.
Small / specificallynoun
“His dimple appeared whenever he smiled.”
Create / produceverb
“The child dimpled up to the adults.”
More ways to use dimple
- “His dimple appeared whenever he smiled.”noun
- “There are approximately 336 dimples on a golf ball.”noun
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
A chad that has been punched or dimpled but all four corners are still attached.
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Words can change meaning depending on context.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.