English vocabulary · B2
Trickle
/ˈtrɪkəl/ · v., n.
Trickle means to flow slowly in a very small amount.
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Example sentences
- Rainwater trickled down the window.
- Customers trickled into the quiet store.
Word origin and roots
- origin — unknown
Synonyms and nuances
- DRIP — separate drops fall slowly (Fall In Drops)
- SEEP — move through a tiny opening (Pass Through Slowly)
- DRIBBLE — run in a small uneven stream (Flow Weakly)
Similar words
- drip
- seep
- dribble
Lesson notes
Trickle means to flow slowly in a very small amount.
Related: drip, seep, dribble. Use trickle when liquid moves slowly in a thin, weak stream.
Rainwater trickled down the window. Customers trickled into the quiet store.
Trickle has an unknown origin. It first appeared in English in the late fourteenth century. Even a tiny stream can keep moving for hours.