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
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
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
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
Verb
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
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That last hope is squandered when Grace instead taps Hal to serve as her second-in-command.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
18 Oct. 2025
-
The offensive coordinator calling his sixth-ever game taps the future Big Ten quarterback on the chest twice.—
Brian Hamilton,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Like a true professional, the actor quickly flicks the photo and extinguishes the blaze without ever breaking character — despite internally freaking out — to nail the perfect shot.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Oct. 2025
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The scene flicks to a flashback of Henry at war, which then switches to Henry in his previous timeline suffering from a nightmare.—
Lincee Ray Published,
EW.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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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
-
As a matter of fact, pats on the back are probably very few and far between.—
Nour Rahal,
Freep.com,
10 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Legacy is made from the small, repeatable disciplines no one claps for, but everyone benefits from.—
Cody Bjugan,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
-
And a couple claps their way through Swift's discography.—
Bryan West,
The Tennessean,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Questions also remain for the start of a new House member who tips the power of Congress towards the Democrats.—
Selina Wang,
ABC News,
17 Oct. 2025
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Hoffman tips his hat to the comedy’s production designer, Patrick Howe, who created the casino set along with the art and design teams.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
Verb
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William Contreras #24 of the Milwaukee Brewers tags out Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers at home plate during the sixth inning at American Family Field on July 08, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
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Behind the scenes, Billo tags your videos, tracks what elements perform best—things like hooks, calls to action, and formats—and shares that info with brands.—
Renae Gregoire,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dabs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dabs. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
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