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
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.
Recent Examples of dab
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 23 Dec. 2025
In a Venn diagram of waistband lengths, this comfy silhouette lands smack dab in the crowd-pleasing middle.
—Alison Syrett Cleary, Glamour, 18 Dec. 2025
Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Dec. 2025
Use a sponge brush to dab paint on the spool.
—Janna Oberdorf, Parents, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dab
Noun
A little dab of hydrogen peroxide made things better.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 23 Dec. 2025
In a Venn diagram of waistband lengths, this comfy silhouette lands smack dab in the crowd-pleasing middle.
—Alison Syrett Cleary, Glamour, 18 Dec. 2025
Verb
To use liquid laundry detergent to pretreat stains, dab a small amount directly onto the stain before laundering.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Dec. 2025
Use a sponge brush to dab paint on the spool.
—Janna Oberdorf, Parents, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dab
Verb
-
Blood was smeared on the hood, roof and rear of the sedan.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Hadid appears beat up with a gash on her arm, dirt on her face, and smeared black eye makeup.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
After the Bears' improbable comeback in the regular season, the handshake lasted a tad longer, as both coaches patted each other on the arm before going their separate ways.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The quarterback stood back there for three seconds and patted the ball and threw it down the field.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Ryvchin, whose former home was daubed with antisemitic language and cars were set alight earlier this year, said both Australia’s federal government and provincial leaders in the state of New South Wales had failed to act on proposals to curb antisemitic violence.—
Katie Silver,
NBC news,
25 Dec. 2025
-
The walls at the Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami are daubed with rosy-red pigment from the Cochineal, a cactus-dwelling insect her mother would harvest and sell in her hometown of Ayacucho, Peru.—
Douglas Markowitz,
Miami Herald,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Sky has been tapping into big IP recently, airing a popular adaptation of The Day of the Jackal with Peacock.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The first will see Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter and Karol G headlining, while the country-music showcase has tapped Lainey Wilson, Cody Johnson and Post Malone to lead its bill a few weeks later.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Bear in mind, however, that some things aren’t worth the risk such as getting sunburned after slathering on old sunscreen or developing a rash from a skin serum that’s gone bad.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Dec. 2025
-
Still, the findings hint at the possibility that eating vitamin C—not just slathering it on—could play a role in healthier-looking skin.—
Julia Ries Wexler,
Health,
18 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Given this week’s rally, certain stocks have tipped into overbought territory and could see a dip in the near term.—
Pia Singh,
CNBC,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Washington’s neutrality preserved the republic’s future, enabling economic expansion under the funding system Hamilton designed, territorial growth through the Louisiana Purchase and beyond, and eventual emergence as a great power capable of tipping global balances.—
Daniel Ross Goodman,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
To celebrate, the president wants to offer free admissions that day to the country’s national parks, a self-serving gesture, no doubt, but one that is no surprise for a man who spent much of his adult life plastering his name on the sides of buildings, airplanes and casino hotels.—
Leonard Greene,
Mercury News,
27 Dec. 2025
-
In one scene, Gracie Abrams texts Taylor a picture of the singer plastered on the side of a hotel in Indianapolis.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
23 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The people in the plaza alternately booed and clapped, unsure whether to welcome the détente.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
15 Jan. 2026
-
So much so that some middle school quarterbacks enter high school having learned only to clap when ready for the ball.—
Christopher Kamrani,
New York Times,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dab. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
