stab

1 of 2

noun

ˈstab 

1

: a wound produced by a pointed object or weapon

2

a

: a thrust of a pointed weapon

b

: a jerky thrust

3

: effort, try

4

: a sudden sharp feeling

stabs of regret

stab

2 of 2

verb

stabbed; stabbing

transitive verb

1

: to wound or pierce by the thrust of a pointed object or weapon

2

: thrust, drive

intransitive verb

: to thrust or give a wound with or as if with a pointed weapon

stabber noun

Phrases

stab in the back

: betray

Synonyms

Noun

• perforation
• pinhole
• pinprick
• prick
• punch
• puncture

Verb

• gore
• harpoon
• impale
• jab
• lance
• peck
• pick
• pierce
• pink
• puncture
• run through
• skewer
• spear
• spike
• spit
• stick
• transfix
• transpierce

Examples of stab in a Sentence

Noun

the injection left a small stab on her upper arm

everybody will get a stab at solving the problem

Verb

He stabbed her with a dagger.

The victim was stabbed in the chest five times.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The new product could potentially prevent deaths from blood loss as a result of gunshot and stab wounds. —Bruce Gil, Quartz, 15 Aug. 2024

She was found unresponsive on a South Pasadena street on Feb. 22, 1986, and was later determined to have died from stab wounds and strangulation, Sheriff’s Lt. Patricia Thomas told reporters. —Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 15 Aug. 2024

Verb

Police received a call around 7:56 p.m. that a 16-year-old girl stabbed a man and was being held on the ground in the park by some bystanders. —Nollyanne Delacruz, The Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2024

Telles, previously the Clark County Public Administrator, has pleaded not guilty to murder with use of a deadly weapon in the September 2022 death of Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German, who was repeatedly stabbed outside his house. —Eric Levenson, CNN, 14 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English stabbe

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing stab

• a stab in the dark
• give it a stab
• have a stab at
• stab in the back
• take/make a stab at

Kids Definition

stab

1 of 2 noun

ˈstab 

1

: a wound produced by a pointed object or weapon

2

: a thrust of a pointed weapon

3

: effort sense 2, try

I'll take a stab at it

stab

2 of 2 verb

stabbed; stabbing

1

: to wound or pierce by the thrust of a pointed object or weapon

2

: thrust entry 1 sense 1, drive

stabber noun

Medical Definition

stab

1 of 2 noun

ˈstab 

1

: a wound produced by a pointed object or weapon

2

a

: a culture medium solidified in an upright column in a tube to reduce the surface to a minimum compare slant

b

: stab culture

stab

2 of 2 transitive verb

stabbed; stabbing

: to wound or pierce by the thrust of a pointed object or weapon