1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

dabbing

verb

present participle of dab
1
as in smearing

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words
2
as in tapping

Related Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dabbing
  1. smearing
  2. tapping
  3. daubing
  4. flicking
  5. slathering
  6. patting
  7. anointing
  8. clapping
Verb
  • Yet what follows is an extended list of ethical sins, with a focus on the sins of abusive speech, such as slandering, slurring, slighting and smearing the reputations of others.
    — Reuven Kimelman, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026
  • People have gone from smearing the compound on their faces to using injections, in hopes of achieving firmer, wrinkle-free skin and other anti-aging benefits.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of smearing
Verb
  • That included eliminating 400 vacant positions, tapping an $89 million rail-project reserve to cover transit expenses and using an affordable-housing reserve to pay for a county eviction-reduction program.
    — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Today, mega-cap AI companies are tapping the bond market as AI infrastructure spending eatis into their free cash flows.
    — Paulina Likos, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of tapping
Verb
  • 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
Definition of daubing
Verb
  • At one point, while casually flicking the fly rod in his right hand, Tapper listed other California Democrats expected to enter the 2028 race, including former Vice President Kamala Harris.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The fire had engulfed the garage roof, with flames flicking nearby trees and threatening to spread beyond the garage.
    — Rob Moore, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of flicking
Verb
  • The goat is tender and deeply savory, the perfect vehicle for slathering charred avocado and queso for a truly melt-in-your-mouth bite.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Each type has its own purpose, and using the wrong method, or slathering on too much (or too little), can seriously undermine results.
    — Anya Meyerowitz, Glamour, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of slathering
Verb
  • His goal late against the Leafs was due and showed his hands and dexterity for a big man taking a puck off the wall and patting it in at the post.
    — Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Another picture in the post shows Justin patting Phin on the head as the pair walk together on a golf course, sporting matching golf bags.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of patting
Verb
  • Think Lady Gaga anointing herself an A-list leading lady by way of her grand appearance for the premiere of A Star Is Born.
    — Nate Jones, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026
  • By anointing Watson as their franchise savior, the Haslams disregarded all those women.
    — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of anointing
Verb
  • The film’s sombre tone and subject matter likely put a damper on the Lido crowd’s reaction, but the movie was well received, with the audience rising for a standing ovation, clapping warmly for four minutes.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Firefighters who weren’t yet being deployed lined the route to the tarmac, hooting and clapping and giving high fives.
    — M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of clapping
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.

Browse Nearby Words

dabbed
dabbing
dabble
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dabbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dabbing. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compendious

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All