as in expert
a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field
a British mystery writer who's an undisputed dab hand at building suspense
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Recent Examples of dab hand
In addition to the outfits of the characters in her famous self-portraits, American artist Cindy Sherman is also a dab hand at finds for herself.
—
Lily Templeton, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019
All of which curious George, a dab hand at psychological manipulation, coaxes along with the gentlest of nudges.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2025
In addition to the outfits of the characters in her famous self-portraits, American artist Cindy Sherman is also a dab hand at finds for herself.
—Lily Templeton, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019
Van Norden, a dab hand with Shakespeare, is a natural for Shaw.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2024
Benedict, meanwhile, is an expert colorist, a dab hand with print who knows all about decorative drama.
—Grace McCloud, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2023
Zach is a dab hand at herbal knockout potions and the occasional amateur amputation, and there’s a scene featuring the latter in which Wheatley indulges his twin tastes for deadpan comedy and head-on gross-outs to the extreme.
—BostonGlobe.com, 14 Apr. 2021
Sarah, a dab hand at deflecting sexism and maintaining her professional composure, takes the microphone and expresses her excitement at being on board.
—Justin Chang Film Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2020
That, perhaps, is a little less in the bag, but the Kremlin’s operatives are dab hands at suppressing protests and neutering the press.
—The Economist, 12 Mar. 2020
Lily Templeton, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019
All of which curious George, a dab hand at psychological manipulation, coaxes along with the gentlest of nudges.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2025
In addition to the outfits of the characters in her famous self-portraits, American artist Cindy Sherman is also a dab hand at finds for herself.
—Lily Templeton, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019
Van Norden, a dab hand with Shakespeare, is a natural for Shaw.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2024
Benedict, meanwhile, is an expert colorist, a dab hand with print who knows all about decorative drama.
—Grace McCloud, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2023
Zach is a dab hand at herbal knockout potions and the occasional amateur amputation, and there’s a scene featuring the latter in which Wheatley indulges his twin tastes for deadpan comedy and head-on gross-outs to the extreme.
—BostonGlobe.com, 14 Apr. 2021
Sarah, a dab hand at deflecting sexism and maintaining her professional composure, takes the microphone and expresses her excitement at being on board.
—Justin Chang Film Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2020
That, perhaps, is a little less in the bag, but the Kremlin’s operatives are dab hands at suppressing protests and neutering the press.
—The Economist, 12 Mar. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dab hand
Noun
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Dealing with rising costs and a pursuit of experiences and self-care are taking precedence over long-term financial planning, experts observed.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
14 Aug. 2025
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Working in unprepared landscapes puts firefighters' lives at risk, said Alexander Held, a senior expert in fire management at the European Forest Institute, adding authorities should prepare by creating buffer zones and clearing combustible vegetation.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Rihanna has long been the master of maternity fashion.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
8 Aug. 2025
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Those students could earn $55,000 while taking classes for their master’s degrees and working in the field under mentors at MPS.—
Rory Linnane,
jsonline.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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On every episode of this podcast, host Lena Crown speaks with writers, artists, critics, and scholars across generations who have awakened something for one another.—
Awakeners
August 7,
Literary Hub,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Yet Putin, who likely has a coterie of scholars on international criminal law who have explained to him the mechanics of personal immunity, is likely to do everything to hold onto power for as long as possible, to avoid losing his protection from trial for war crimes and armed aggression.—
Kevin Holden Platt,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The digital adept also had a nearly eight-year stretch at Teen Vogue.—
Hikmat Mohammed,
Footwear News,
3 Sep. 2019
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Slot shares this staple of Tottenham counterpart Ange Postecoglou’s attacking principles, with Porro adept at tucking inside to disrupt the opposition shape.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Entertainment Weekly has learned that a new group of actors are taking over the iconic roles for Pottermore Publishing and Audible's productions of J.K. Rowling's original seven books about the young boy wizard.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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More than 600 million books about the boy wizard have been sold whilst the 11 movies about them have grossed $9.7 billion and the latest Potter videogame generated $850 million in just its first two weeks.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
2 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The artist honorees: Sylvester Stallone, country singer George Strait, British stage actor Michael Crawford, disco star Gloria Gaynor, and glam rockers KISS.—
Robert Abitbol,
USA Today,
16 Aug. 2025
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The artist found out about the sweet gesture after his show, and responded with a sweet gesture.—
Jessica Roiz,
Billboard,
16 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The Match tells the true story of how, in the face of discrimination and exclusion, British-Jewish rising tennis star Angela Buxton and African American athletic virtuoso Althea Gibson formed an unlikely pair that took Wimbledon by storm and forged a lifelong friendship.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
13 May 2025
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Billy Woods rose out of the Brooklyn rap underground as a virtuoso poet, one of hip-hop’s most independent and brilliant minds over the past two decades.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
10 May 2025
Noun
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His gurus through the years ranged from Krishnamurti, to Ram Dass and D.T..—
Jon Raymond
August 5,
Literary Hub,
5 Aug. 2025
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Perhaps the most fascinating peek behind the curtain, however, comes at her career transition to Goop guru.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
29 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dab hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dab%20hand. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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