Definition of Dough
Quick Meaning of Dough
The wet mixture of flour and water that bakers use to make bread, cakes, or pizza before baking.
Detailed Definition of Dough
A thick, soft mixture of flour, water, and other ingredients that you bake to make bread or pastries.
How to Pronounce Dough
Stress pattern: O (1-syllable word).
Tip: Rhymes with 'go' and 'show'. Stress the single syllable: DOH. Do not pronounce the 'gh' at the end.
Watch out: Some learners mispronounce it like 'doff' with the wrong vowel; keep the long 'oh' sound.
Origin and Etymology of Dough
From Old English dag (to knead); related to similar words in Germanic languages meaning 'to prepare'.
How to Use Dough in a Sentence
Each example shows “dough” with a CEFR level so learners can pick examples that match their fluency.
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“The chef kneaded the dough for ten minutes before letting it rise.”
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“You need to mix flour, water, and yeast together to make pizza dough.”
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“Fresh dough rises faster at room temperature than in the refrigerator.”
Synonyms and Antonyms of Dough
Common Synonyms for Dough
Smart Synonyms for Dough — When to Use Each
- batter
- Specifically for thinner mixtures used in cakes and
- paste
- For very thick, clay-like consistency in formal contexts
- preparation
- When emphasizing the readiness for cooking or baking
Common Collocations with Dough
These phrases pair with “dough” in everyday English:
- pizza dough
- bread dough
- knead dough
Common Mistakes When Using Dough
Even fluent speakers slip up with “dough”. Here’s how to avoid the most common errors:
- ✗ Wrong: I bought some doughs at the bakery.
- ✓ Correct: I bought some dough at the bakery.
- Why: Dough is uncountable; you cannot pluralize it as 'doughs' in standard English.
- ✗ Wrong: The doughs are too soft for cutting.
- ✓ Correct: The dough is too soft for cutting.
- Why: Even when discussing a single batch, dough takes singular 'is', not plural 'are'.
Other Forms of Dough
- Noun: dough
Frequently Asked Questions About Dough
What is the meaning of "Dough"?
The wet mixture of flour and water that bakers use to make bread, cakes, or pizza before baking.
How do you pronounce "Dough"?
The IPA is /doʊ/. Rhymes with 'go' and 'show'. Stress the single syllable: DOH. Do not pronounce the 'gh' at the end.
What part of speech is "Dough"?
"Dough" is a noun at B1 level (Common European Framework).
What are synonyms for "Dough"?
Common synonyms include batter, mixture, paste.
How do you use "Dough" in a sentence?
For example: "The chef kneaded the dough for ten minutes before letting it rise."