# dabble

/ˈdæbəɫ/ (US) · /dˈæbəl/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dabble
Updated: 2026-10-16

## Definition

to try an activity or hobby in a casual way without being very serious about it.

For teachers: to engage in an activity, interest, or area of study in a superficial or non-committal manner.

## Examples

- He likes to dabble in painting during his summer holidays.
- Although she works in finance, she likes to dabble in local politics by attending town hall meetings.
- The investor chose to dabble in cryptocurrency with a small portion of his portfolio, though he remained skeptical of its long-term stability.

## Synonyms

experiment, toy, trifle, tinker, play

## Antonyms

specialize, dedicate, commit

## Pitfalls

- Not "he dabbles painting" but "he dabbles in painting" — The verb requires the preposition 'in' before the activity being discussed.

## Usage notes

- Intransitive; almost always followed by the preposition 'in'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.