trickle

[ˈtrɪkəl]

trickle Definition

  • 1to flow slowly in a thin stream or in drops
  • 2to enter, occur, or arrive gradually and in small numbers or amounts

Using trickle: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "trickle" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    Water trickled down the window pane.

  • Example

    The news about the virus has been trickling in for weeks.

  • Example

    The company's profits have been trickling away for years.

  • Example

    The tears trickled down her cheeks.

trickle Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for trickle

Antonyms for trickle

Idioms Using trickle

  • gradually disappear or diminish

    Example

    The company's profits have been trickling away for years.

  • gradually spread or be passed down from one person or group to another

    Example

    The news about the virus has been trickling down for weeks.

  • arrive or be received gradually and in small numbers or amounts

    Example

    Reports of damage from the storm began to trickle in.

Phrases with trickle

  • trickle-down effect

    the idea that benefits given to wealthy people will trickle down to everyone else in society

    Example

    The government's tax cuts for the rich were supposed to have a trickle-down effect on the economy.

  • a low-level charge used to maintain the battery of a vehicle or device

    Example

    I always use a trickle charge to keep my car battery from dying.

  • a phenomenon where someone gradually reveals more information about a situation over time, often in an attempt to minimize the impact of the information

    Example

    He told me he was at the bar with some friends, but it turned out to be a trickle truth - he was actually out with his ex-girlfriend.

Origins of trickle

from Middle English 'triklen', of unknown origin

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Summary: trickle in Brief

The verb 'trickle' [ˈtrɪkəl] refers to the slow flow of liquid in a thin stream or drops. It can also describe the gradual arrival or occurrence of something in small numbers or amounts, as in 'The news about the virus has been trickling in for weeks.' The term extends into phrases like 'trickle-down effect,' which suggests that benefits given to wealthy people will eventually benefit everyone else, and idioms like 'trickle away,' meaning to gradually disappear or diminish.