1
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
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
1
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dab
Abigail Ingram, National Review, 28 July 2025
My favorite thing to do is dab a little bit of moisturizer on the back of my hand and use a fluffy brush to wash it over my makeup, just to rehydrate it.
—Megan Decker, Refinery29, 28 July 2025
Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 2025
The casting here is perfection itself, with Cumberbatch and Colman bickering back and forth with all the drawing-room style of a new age Rex Harrison and Kay Kendall, or maybe the Burton and Taylor of The Taming of the Shrew with a dab of Virginia Woolf.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dab
Noun
In a small-town brewery smack dab in the middle of Texas, college students and professors routinely come together to talk politics and religion.
—Abigail Ingram, National Review, 28 July 2025
My favorite thing to do is dab a little bit of moisturizer on the back of my hand and use a fluffy brush to wash it over my makeup, just to rehydrate it.
—Megan Decker, Refinery29, 28 July 2025
Verb
But adding a dab of muhammara from the meze trio jazzed up the beef beautifully.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 2025
The casting here is perfection itself, with Cumberbatch and Colman bickering back and forth with all the drawing-room style of a new age Rex Harrison and Kay Kendall, or maybe the Burton and Taylor of The Taming of the Shrew with a dab of Virginia Woolf.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dab
Verb
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Mash it up, smear it on toast, toss it in a salad, or eat it straight.—
Claire Bugos,
Verywell Health,
17 Sep. 2025
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Good luck trying not to smear and stain your clothes, sheets, and furniture.—
Megan McIntyre,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Canales patted his head and tried to say something to him, but Young kept walking, then angrily slammed his helmet down.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Sep. 2025
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Drying Tips After washing, make sure to pat the sweet potatoes dry with a clean towel or paper towels.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But there is a distinction, Kutwala said, between flying flags from one’s own property and daubing paint across the town.—
Olivia Kemp,
CNN Money,
29 Aug. 2025
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Researchers expected the dogs to pay most attention to the cat doll, particularly when daubed with the feline scent.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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So whether Gibson can tap into last year’s level and maintain it across a full, healthy season is pivotal.—
The Athletic NHL,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
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Angel’s pitch to investors is that audiences in middle America, the same group that Taylor Sheridan tapped to create his Yellowstone television empire, will flock to faith-friendly movies that embrace a more conservative worldview.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The bread is broiled, slathered in a homemade fondue-like beer cheese sauce, then broiled once more to create a toast that’s crunchy on the bottom and lusciously-creamy on top.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Sep. 2025
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Consider the house made bread with wheatgrass butter—slathered on a piece of seeded sourdough that is as pillowy as a down comforter.—
Katie Kelly Bell,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That means that a married couple may not simply double the deduction, even if both taxpayers are tipped employees.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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There is also the outstanding question of a new collective bargaining agreement, which must be ratified by the players and the owners before next season can tip off.—
Evan Webeck,
Mercury News,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The agreement will plaster Carlyle’s branding on Red Bull’s RB21 challenger, drivers’ team kits, the pit wall and the garage, the two companies said Tuesday.—
Leslie Picker,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
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After the giddiness from morning espressos wears off, after the bravado interviews end with national reporters and every slogan is plastered in the locker room, the Broncos’ hype is left with a solitary truth.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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On Thursday, Silly Goose played on a stage inside the Kentucky Kingdom theme park, while inflatable geese floated above the crowd and Foster got his fans to jump, clap and crowdsurf under a hot Kentucky sun.—
Kirby Adams,
Louisville Courier Journal,
22 Sep. 2025
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Trump clapped, waved and raised his fist.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
21 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dab. Accessed 25 Sep. 2025.
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