jab

1 of 2

verb

jabbed; jabbing; jabs

transitive verb

1
a
: to pierce or prod (someone or something) with or as if with a pointed object
She jabbed the steak with her fork.
The nurse jabbed me with the needle.
He jabbed me in the ribs with his elbow.
b
: to push or drive (something, such as a pointed object) quickly, abruptly, or forcefully : thrust
The nurse jabbed the needle into my arm.
She jabbed her elbow into my ribs.
He shouted at Alvarez … , jabbing a finger into the catcher's chest protector.Wina Sturgeon
"And look at those girls over there," the woman said, jabbing a finger at my sister's children …Hope Reeves
The robbers then jabbed a gun into Goldberg's back, he told police, and demanded that he hand over his keys.The Miami Herald
2
: to strike (someone or something) with a short straight blow
specifically, sports : to strike (an opponent) with a short straight punch that is delivered with the leading hand
He tried to jab him in the first round, and Ali's head wasn't there. Gilbert Rogin
3
: to pointedly tease or mock (someone)
We joke around. … I was jabbing him about injuries he's had.Sports Illustrated

intransitive verb

1
a
: to prod quickly or abruptly and often repeatedly with or as if with a pointed object
usually used with at
He jabbed at his soufflé with a spoon.P. G. Wodehouse
… repeatedly jabbed at the puck with his stick.Dave Joseph
We all know him or her—the person who stands at the elevator door and jabs at the button three, four, even five times when the car fails to arrive quickly enough.Earl Ubell
"You want to talk about this now?" he snarled, … jabbing at me with his finger.Jack Gantos
b
: to be thrust or driven quickly, abruptly, or forcefully
usually used with into
The needle jabbed into my arm.
… reduces any chance of … keys or coins jabbing into your back when riding.George Hill
2
: to strike a person with a short straight blow
specifically, sports : to throw a short straight punch that is delivered with the leading hand
The fight was barely a contest after the first round, when Spinks stopped moving and jabbing and began fighting with his back to the ropes. William Nack
Bradford jabbed well and made sure that Ali was kept at bay … . Bill Crane
3
: to pointedly tease, mock, or make fun of someone
At a moment's notice, he can produce a months-old editorial cartoon jabbing at him and seems genuinely hurt by the message.The New York Times

jab

2 of 2

noun

plural jabs
1
: a quick, abrupt, or forceful thrust or stab especially with something pointed : an act of jabbing
gave it a couple of jabs with a stick
specifically : a short straight boxing punch delivered with the leading hand
a quick left jab
… Holmes fired a jab and crossed with a … right that caught Frazier flush in the face. Pat Putnam
Buddy had done a good job of teaching me how to bob and weave and throw a jab. Anthony Quinn
2
: a pointed and often mocking comment or criticism
He has a lot of fun with Ranovic, the oh-so-dramatic, eager young undercover cop who consistently fails to understand Salter's ironic jabs.Jean MacFarlane Wright
Undeterred, McCain continues with his standard stump speech, leaving in all the anti-Bush jabs.Michelle Cottle
3
chiefly British, informal : an injection of something (such as medicine) into one's body with a needle
made an appointment for her second jab
We're averaging 3 million jabs in arms a day.Ali Velshi

Examples of jab in a Sentence

Verb He jabbed at the other player with his hockey stick. The needle jabbed his arm. The needle jabbed into his arm. Noun She gave him a jab in the ribs. He threw a right jab to his opponent's body.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Residents crowded over hot dogs and burgers while jabbing one another with jokes and stories. Austin Corona, The Arizona Republic, 25 Nov. 2024 Rosario used a hubcap as a shield before pulling out a black steak knife and jabbing toward the officer, Bishop said. Claire Osborn, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
Noun
Tesla could be excluded from the state rebates under a plan to restrict the credits to manufacturers with lesser market share, a jab at Trump ally and Newsom critic Elon Musk, Tesla’s owner. Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2024 Five jabs followed: Ixiaro; RabAvert, for rabies; Typhim Vi, for typhoid; a booster shot of a vaccine for tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough; and probably an inactivated polio vaccine. David W. Dunlap, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for jab 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

alteration of job to strike

First Known Use

Verb

1825, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of jab was in 1825

Dictionary Entries Near jab

Cite this Entry

“Jab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jab. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

jab

verb
ˈjab
jabbed; jabbing
: to poke quickly or suddenly with or as if with something sharp
jab noun

More from Merriam-Webster on jab

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!