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
Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025
At least, that’s the thinking behind the American Cancer Society‘s decision last week to endorse self-swab HPV tests as a viable alternative to detect cervical cancer.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 8 Dec. 2025
Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Dec. 2025
The company swabbed patients for COVID-19, and the lab conducted respiratory pathogen panels that were not medically necessary on these specimens and billed Medicare.
—Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 25 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swab
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Noun
Previously, screening relied on a clinician collecting a swab of the cervix during a pelvic exam, either for a Pap test or for HPV testing or both.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025
At least, that’s the thinking behind the American Cancer Society‘s decision last week to endorse self-swab HPV tests as a viable alternative to detect cervical cancer.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 8 Dec. 2025
Verb
Both were swabbed to obtain DNA samples of the animal.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Dec. 2025
The company swabbed patients for COVID-19, and the lab conducted respiratory pathogen panels that were not medically necessary on these specimens and billed Medicare.
—Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 25 Nov. 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 13 Dec. 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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