dribble

/ˈdɹɪ.bəl/

//ˈdɹɪ.bəl// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"dribble" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“dribble” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #26,766. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#26,766
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - In various ball games, to move (with) the ball, controlling its path by kicking or bouncing it repeatedly.

Corpus desk

Index EN-dribble · dribble · English

dribble · rank #26,766 · 9 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #26,766
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-MID 9 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH Dreyfus

Nearest frequency peer: Dreyfus (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “dribble”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “dribble” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

dribble vs drizzle
71% similar
dribble vs dabble
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for dribble
PropertyValue
Headworddribble
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈdɹɪ.bəl/
Letters7
Frequency rank#26,766
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “dribble”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).dribblelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “Dreyfus” (#26,765), “downer” (#26,764), “Dutchman” (#26,768). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “dribble” is #26,766. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around dribble (IPA /ˈdɹɪ.bəl/), averb. Corpus frequency is #26,766 among 3,470 “D” headwords. Wiktionary lists 7 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for dribble, with forms such as "ddribble", "dirbble", and "drbible". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "drizzle", "dabble", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From drib + -le (frequentative suffix). The correct English form is dribble, spelled D-R-I-B-B-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    In various ball games, to move (with) the ball, controlling its path by kicking or bouncing it repeatedly.
  2. 2
    To let saliva drip from the mouth; to drool.
  3. 3
    To fall in drops or an unsteady stream; to trickle.
  4. 4
    To move or roll slowly.
  5. 5
    To let something fall in drips.
  6. 6
    To live or pass one's time in a trivial fashion.
  7. 7
    To perform a card flourish in which the cards fall smoothly from one's hand.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how dribble appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The baby dribbled onto its bib.
  2. 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.

Etymology

From drib + -le (frequentative suffix).

This word in other languages

babear(Español)baver(Français)sabbern(Deutsch)babar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ddribble
  • dirbble
  • drbible
  • dribbel
  • dribblle
  • driblbe
  • drible
  • drribble
  • rdibble

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of dribble - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ddribble1dirbble2drbible2dribbel2dribblle1driblbe2drible1drribble1
Edit distance from "dribble"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "dribble"?
"dribble" is spelled D-R-I-B-B-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdɹɪ.bəl/.
What does "dribble" mean?
As a verb, "dribble" means: In various ball games, to move (with) the ball, controlling its path by kicking or bouncing it repeatedly.
What words are commonly confused with "dribble"?
"dribble" is commonly confused with "drizzle", "dabble". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "dribble"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "dribble" is /ˈdɹɪ.bəl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "dribble"?
From drib + -le (frequentative suffix). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "dribble", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Dreyfus#26,765Donkeys#26,761dialing#26,754deviate#26,751

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (9 here; floor ≥5).

downer9 variantsDorsey9 variantsdecked9 variantsFillers9 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list