dab 1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈdab How to pronounce dab (audio)
Definition of dabnext
1
as in jab
a quick thrust one more quick dab of the brush and he would be finished with his painting

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in sprinkling
a very small amount she added a dab of sesame oil to the dressing before pouring it on the salad

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in slap
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument a bear can knock a man down with a simple dab of his paw

Synonyms & Similar Words

dab

2 of 3

noun (2)

chiefly British
as in expert
a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field a dab at finding unappreciated collectibles and reselling them at a considerable profit

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dab

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to smear

Related Words

Dissimilar Words
2
as in to pat

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of dab
Noun
Seated smack dab in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the city is a fall wonderland come October. — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026 Placing a dab behind the ear and leaving it on for 24 to 48 hours can help catch a problem ingredient early. — Ayren Jackson-Cannady, Allure, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
First, dab excess oil or grease stains from the clothing with a clean cloth. — Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 5 July 2026 The former president's emotions were also on display when Michelle Obama asked him to look directly at her, and their daughters also dabbed their eyes with tissues. — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for dab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dab
  1. jab
  2. sprinkling
  3. slap
  4. expert
  5. smear
  6. pat
  7. punch
  8. splash
Noun
  • Fifteen yards into his route, James dug inside, turned to catch the pass from Zabransky, and took a little jab step upfield as four Oklahoma defenders closed in.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The line is a direct jab at Vang’s bid to unseat Matsui in the Sacramento region’s 7th Congressional District.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of jab
Noun
  • As ever, the lineup is a mix of new features from Asia’s best auteurs, a sprinkling of Hollywood movies and projects from up-and-coming filmmakers.
    — Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Some versions are sold as wedges, while others are finely grated and packaged for easy sprinkling over spaghetti or casseroles.
    — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of sprinkling
Noun
  • The baby Fins were back to Earth, sweet mirage yielding to the slap of reality.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Hundreds of those grants were later reinstated when a federal judge ruled that the slap-dash nature of the terminations violated the Administrative Procedures Act, which regulates how agencies are supposed to change policies.
    — Anil Oza, STAT, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of slap
Noun
  • Some experts point to worsening public health since the 2008 financial crisis, citing factors such as growing obesity, long hospital waiting times, the cost-of-living crisis and other social causes.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The weekly newsletter offers readers savings tips, expert answers to your questions and weekly challenges to help boost savings.
    — Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of expert
Verb
  • Following Tuesday’s baseline dust-up after a foul on Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson confronted a fan, leading Cloud to take to Threads and smear both the Indiana Fever organization and the spectator.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Sweat glistened on the white foundation smeared across her face.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of smear
Verb
  • In this case, there’s no swiping or rubbing at all—just let the pads sit and soak in for a few minutes before gently patting in the excess.
    — Jenny Jin, Glamour, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Trump repeatedly patted Xi on the back, a gesture considered highly inappropriate in Chinese political culture.
    — Ana Ceballos, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of pat
Noun
  • However, this is a stellar opportunity to dig into excellent, authentic Thai dishes (no punches held on sour or spice), and the Thai Wok Omelet with blue crab and morning glory at breakfast is exceedingly memorable.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The punch-worthy parody of Altman’s characterization ramps up once he’s motivated to push back against — or trample over — the safety guardrails that Ilya prizes above all else, but so does the depth of his world-breaking cynicism.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of punch
Noun
  • The first mega-splash came over the summer, with the $20 million-a-year agreement between Monster Energy and college sports’ Big 12 Conference (which includes the caffeine-avoidant Brigham Young University).
    — Kent Sepkowitz, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The company has also parted ways with Marriage Story writer-director Noah Baumbach, whose other Netflix projects, like White Noise and Jay Kelly, failed to make much of a splash.
    — Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of splash

Phrases Containing dab

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dab
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Cite this Entry

“Dab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dab. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dab

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dab

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