1
2
as in splashes
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 swipes
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 experts
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of dabs
Julie Belcove, Robb Report, 26 Oct. 2025
The 132 rooms have welcome dabs of color—royal blue desk chairs and headboards and pink and white curtains.
—Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 26 Sep. 2025
The venue hosts fun and educational events, such as crafting and game nights, where attendees can smoke vapes, eat edibles and do dabs.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 25 Sep. 2025
Its gifts today are beautification, recreation, shade, cleaner air and water, walking and biking paths, dabs of nature in the city, the enchanting sound of falling water, programs and events, and art.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
Noun
Among the other standouts are Klimt’s Blooming Meadow (1908)—a sea of green grass and trees flecked with blue, yellow, and pink dabs of wildflowers—and six figurative bronzes by Matisse.
—Julie Belcove, Robb Report, 26 Oct. 2025
The 132 rooms have welcome dabs of color—royal blue desk chairs and headboards and pink and white curtains.
—Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 26 Sep. 2025
The venue hosts fun and educational events, such as crafting and game nights, where attendees can smoke vapes, eat edibles and do dabs.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 25 Sep. 2025
Its gifts today are beautification, recreation, shade, cleaner air and water, walking and biking paths, dabs of nature in the city, the enchanting sound of falling water, programs and events, and art.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dabs
Verb
-
The five pieces offer, in turn, biomorphic hints of de Kooning, the ragged shapes of Clyfford Still, the bold geometries of Ellsworth Kelly, the paint smears of Gerhard Richter, and something that looks like toothpaste squeezed onto an orange peel.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
22 Dec. 2025
-
Teachers Union leader Randi Weingarten smears Trump voters as fascists!—
The Hill,
The Hill,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Trump taps Kevin Warsh to chair the Federal Reserve.—
Kayla Hayempour,
NBC news,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Dark Arts taps into high-quality ingredients to create custom blends and age them in unconventional barrels.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
As a director, his credits include A Family Man starring Gerard Butler, as well as the Liam Neeson flicks Honest Thief and Blacklight.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Think Judd Apatow flicks with Steve Carell and Seth Rogen, or sitcoms starring Charlie Sheen.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Inside the facility, Angela empties her pockets, a guard scans her with a metal-detection wand, pats her down and asks her to spread her legs.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The clip, shared by Sarah Ingle (@saraheingle), a dedicated dog fosterer, shows seven-month-old Cookie Crisps nestled in her arms while Ingle gently pats her bottom.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The episode officially anoints a new captain for the 118 — and sees Harry considering a life fighting fires.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Nov. 2025
-
The Swedish institution often anoints writers who metabolize their specific histories into memorable language that stretches beyond borders and governments, transcending regional particulars.—
Walt Hunter,
The Atlantic,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Poor Indigenous, Black, the people from the favelas, when the police go there and kill 120 people there, and the population basically claps and thinks that that’s great.—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
2 Dec. 2025
-
Legacy is made from the small, repeatable disciplines no one claps for, but everyone benefits from.—
Cody Bjugan,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
In the private sector, the driving need to earn a profit often tips the scale in favor of change.—
Walter Russell Mead,
The Atlantic,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Its moniker likely tips a cap to Purée Mongole, a creamy split pea and tomato soup that first appeared in cookbooks in the late 1800s.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Chalamet crawls out of the weird-for-the-sake-of-being-weird chamber and chucks the helmet to the ground, displaying his now shaven head.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dabs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dabs. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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