1
a
: mop
especially
: a yarn mop
b(1)
: a wad of absorbent material usually wound around one end of a small stick and used especially for applying medication or for removing material from an area
(2)
: a specimen taken with a swab
c
: a sponge or cloth patch attached to a long handle and used to clean the bore of a firearm
swabbed; swabbing
1
: to clean with or as if with a swab
2
: to apply medication to with a swab
swabbed the wound with iodine
Examples of swab in a Sentence
Noun
Use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol to disinfect the area.
The doctor took a throat swab and sent it to the lab.
Verb
The nurse swabbed the cut with a disinfectant.
Recent Examples on the Web
Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2025
Furthermore, as at-home diagnostics expand, patients will increasingly rely on genAI to interpret results from cancer screenings (colon and cervical), infectious disease swabs (COVID-19, STIs) and other clinical tests.
—Robert Pearl, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2025
Their roles include collecting personal data, fingerprinting, DNA swabbing and photographing detainees so ICE agents can focus on enforcement.
—Michael Dorgan , Jacqui Heinrich , Liz Friden, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swab
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
In the wound care section, a selection of bandages, dressings, and medical tape, along with antiseptic wipes, alcohol swabs, triple antibiotic ointment, and two manuals (one for dogs and one for people) is available.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2025
Furthermore, as at-home diagnostics expand, patients will increasingly rely on genAI to interpret results from cancer screenings (colon and cervical), infectious disease swabs (COVID-19, STIs) and other clinical tests.
—Robert Pearl, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
Police and animal control officers canvassed the area and swabbed residents’ dogs for DNA samples, CBS News Miami reported.
—Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2025
Their roles include collecting personal data, fingerprinting, DNA swabbing and photographing detainees so ICE agents can focus on enforcement.
—Michael Dorgan , Jacqui Heinrich , Liz Friden, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swab
Cite this Entry
“Swab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swab. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
swab
1 of 2 noun1
b
: a wad of absorbent material usually wound around one end of a small stick and used especially for applying medicine or for removing material (as from a wound)
also
: a sample taken with a swab
2
: sailor
swab
2 of 2 verb
swabbed; swabbing
: to use a swab on
Medical Definition
swab
1 of 2 noun1
: a wad of absorbent material usually wound around one end of a small stick and used for applying medication or for removing material from an area
2
: a specimen taken with a swab
a throat swab
swab
2 of 2 transitive verb
swabbed; swabbing
: to apply medication to with a swab
swabbed the wound with iodine
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