doodle

1 of 2

verb

doo·​dle ˈdü-dᵊl How to pronounce doodle (audio)
doodled; doodling ˈdüd-liŋ How to pronounce doodle (audio)
ˈdü-dᵊl-iŋ

intransitive verb

1
: to make a doodle
2

transitive verb

: to produce by doodling
doodler
ˈdüd-lər How to pronounce doodle (audio)
ˈdü-dᵊl-ər
noun

doodle

2 of 2

noun

: an aimless or casual scribble, design, or sketch
also : a minor work

Examples of doodle in a Sentence

Verb She doodled in her notebook instead of taking notes. I plan to spend the entire vacation just doodling.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
In the first photo, Sterling can be seen doodling on a drawing board while sitting in a fully pink car seat that's personalized with her name at the top in black, cursive letters. Emma Aerin Becker, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024 It is not signed by Chopin, but the penmanship matched his, including his distinctive bass clef as well, as his doodling characteristic. Hannah Peart, NBC News, 29 Oct. 2024
Noun
So far, the only sign of anything amiss is the random Magic Marker doodle on the back of one of the many papers in Kornacki’s hands. Jen Chaney, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2024 Personal ephemera, such as a photograph, mingles with public ephemera such as a book, a magazine, or a doodle, layered onto a textured surface, such as a floor or a rug. Natasha Gural, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for doodle 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

perhaps from doodle to ridicule

First Known Use

Verb

1935, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of doodle was in 1935

Dictionary Entries Near doodle

Cite this Entry

“Doodle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doodle. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

doodle

1 of 2 verb
doo·​dle ˈdüd-ᵊl How to pronounce doodle (audio)
doodled; doodling ˈdüd-liŋ How to pronounce doodle (audio)
-ᵊl-iŋ
: to make a doodle
doodler
-lər How to pronounce doodle (audio)
-ᵊl-ər
noun

doodle

2 of 2 noun
: a scribble, design, or sketch done while thinking of something else

More from Merriam-Webster on doodle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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