drool

1 of 2

verb

drooled; drooling; drools

intransitive verb

1
a
: to secrete saliva in anticipation of food
The dog hears the bell and begins to drool.
b
: to let saliva dribble from the mouth : drivel sense 2
a drooling baby
2
: to make an effusive show of pleasure or often envious or covetous appreciation
drooling over their new car
3
: to talk nonsense

transitive verb

: to express sentimentally or effusively

drool

2 of 2

noun

1
: saliva trickling from the mouth
wipe the drool from his chin
2

Examples of drool in a Sentence

Verb the dog drooled when we put the steak down on the floor middle-aged men drooling over a starlet half their age Noun He wiped the drool from the baby's face. the only thing more pathetic than the pop psychologist who gushed such drool was the public that lapped it up
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Symptoms of chronic wasting disease in deer Deer with chronic wasting disease are symptomatic for first year or two before exhibiting lethargy, weight loss, drooling, poor coordination, and desensitization to nearby threats like people, predators, and cars. Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 29 Feb. 2024 An animal may also drool more, have trouble moving, look paralyzed or bite at the air, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Helena Wegner, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2024 For Megan, her spunky attitude and smash-mouth demeanor are why hip-hop drooled over her potential. Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 7 Feb. 2024 And hearty soups or stews can serve as a delicious main your guests will be drooling over. Abby Wilson, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Jan. 2024 Viciousness is the attack dog that hasn’t eaten in a week, and is drooling and barking and snarling. Merve Emre, The New York Review of Books, 30 Jan. 2024 The bomb was meant to impress and would usually be met with wide eyes, drooling, and babbling. Time, 21 Aug. 2023 The resultant facial deformities cause lifelong problems including drooling and difficulty eating. John Button, STAT, 16 Dec. 2023 In animals and pets, symptoms include drooling, low energy, lack of appetite, paralysis and vomiting. Maia Pandey, NBC News, 2 Aug. 2023
Noun
Meanwhile, Karamazov père drools over Grushenka himself and promises the flirtatious but staunchly independent young woman 3,000 rubles in return for her favors. Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2023 The price on this DeWalt mechanics tool set may be enough to make a gearhead drool. Tony Carrick, Popular Mechanics, 9 July 2023 But their drool and spit-up are no match for these super-absorbent terry bibs. Rachel Rothman, Good Housekeeping, 23 Jan. 2023 The thought of touching someone’s tongue with your own tongue — and doing it with minimal drool — can sound weird or tricky. Carolyn Twersky, Seventeen, 11 May 2023 These bandana-style bibs are made from soft muslin, and go in the washing machine and are perfect for mealtimes or just catching drool. Marisa Lascala and Lori Bergamotto, Good Housekeeping, 12 Jan. 2023 Performance fabrics combat the dirty paws and sleepy drool. Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Mar. 2023 These colorful bandanas instantly jazz up a plain white onesie (and give parents a break from having to clean up his constant steam of drool). Jamie Ballard, Woman's Day, 1 Dec. 2022 There are noises, breathings, gushings of drool. James Parker, The Atlantic, 19 Nov. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'drool.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

perhaps alteration of drivel

First Known Use

Verb

1802, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1869, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of drool was in 1802

Dictionary Entries Near drool

Cite this Entry

“Drool.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drool. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

drool

verb
ˈdrül
1
: to water at the mouth
2
: to let saliva or some other substance flow from the mouth : drivel

Medical Definition

drool

intransitive verb
1
: to secrete saliva in anticipation of food
2
: to let saliva or some other substance flow from the mouth
side effects included drowsiness and drooling
drool noun

More from Merriam-Webster on drool

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!