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
The actor and director remains a dab hand at occasion dressing.
—
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 13 Sep. 2025
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
Van Norden, a dab hand with Shakespeare, is a natural for Shaw.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2024
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
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
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 13 Sep. 2025
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
Van Norden, a dab hand with Shakespeare, is a natural for Shaw.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2024
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dab hand
Noun
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Another factor may be Japan’s demographic shift, experts say.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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Philip Mann, an aviation expert and former Federal Aviation Administration training manager, said smaller airports not on the list could also see delays and cancelations.—
Laura Layden,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Residents in a Stockton zip code have reported their mail is being stolen and worry someone may have access to the master postal key.—
Carmela Karcher,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
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She was allowed to study there in her fifth year of college basketball because CU’s Boulder campus does not offer a master’s in criminal justice.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Media studies scholar Stephen Ponder argues that William McKinley, inaugurated as president in 1897, laid the groundwork for Roosevelt’s later efforts to fully bring the press into the White House.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
7 Nov. 2025
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And labor scholar Hamilton Nolan reminds us to breathe, and take the (rare) win.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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But if the destination is appealing and the driver adept, the journey is bound to be worth taking.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
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He was investigated by the SS on the orders of Heinrich Himmler but convinced his investigators, all adepts of Deutsche Physik, that he was engaged in worthwhile teaching and research.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Who were the ad wizards who came up with that one?—
Sean Gentille,
New York Times,
3 Jan. 2026
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This wizard doesn’t even use a curtain.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
3 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Local artist Talita Swarts is a walking encyclopedia of the African diaspora; guests can take a VIP tour with her through everything from the building’s architecture—the shape of the main atrium was built to mimic a single corn kernel—to individual exhibition pieces.—
Emily Baldwin,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
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That happiness doesn’t just extend to KATSEYE’s nods, but also to her fellow best new artist nominees, which include friends of the band like Addison Rae, sombr and Alex Warren.—
Jeff Benjamin,
Billboard,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Within the special, Erivo will perform a song accompanied by Goldblum, a virtuoso jazz pianist in his own right, while Yang, Bode, and Slater will perform a song together.—
Jenzia Burgos,
StyleCaster,
6 Nov. 2025
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Palamides, as a physical-comedy virtuoso, loves mess—there’s a splash zone near the front, with audience members wearing plastic ponchos.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Additionally, the annual flurry of economic gurus’ 2026 forecasts offered little fuel for hope, compounding this sense of uncertainty.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
8 Jan. 2026
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The fashion guru typically rocks her tried-and-true ashy blonde, occasionally opting for highlights and/or lowlights.—
Tessa Petak,
InStyle,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dab hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dab%20hand. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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