jab 1 of 2

Definition of jabnext
as in punch
a quick thrust gave the jellyfish on the beach a cautious jab with my stick

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

jab

2 of 2

verb

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of jab
Noun
There’s always time for one more jab. Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026 Trump offered Charles high praise on Wednesday while appearing to throw a jab at Starmer over the war with Iran. Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
But following elite competition is nearly impossible, with subtle flicks and jabs practically invisible to the naked eye—and competitors hidden behind masks. Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 25 Apr. 2026 For a piece in this week’s issue, Dhruv Khullar, a practicing physician and a contributing writer, investigated this growing industry, speaking to the doctors who are tinkering with compounds and the users gamely jabbing themselves in a quest for self-optimization. Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for jab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jab
Noun
  • However, there’s usually an honor code with that – nothing else but punches and giving the fight crowd a show.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 10 May 2026
  • When the dispute moved to the parking lot, witnesses said Hearne threw the first punch, and videos circulating online appeared to show the confrontation.
    JJ Velasquez, San Antonio Express-News, 10 May 2026
Verb
  • Marcus Semien hit a chopper down the left side, which Jorbit Vivas stabbed at wildly while missing it badly.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Police in Antioch are investigating after a man was fatally stabbed during an altercation at home over the weekend.
    Tim Fang, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Lee was raised on Oahu, where her family dined on fresh poke at least once a week.
    Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
  • Try out common milkweed, poke milkweed, or swamp milkweed, which is ideal for poorly-draining gardens.
    Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 5 May 2026
Verb
  • Shloime Rand, 34, was stabbed in the chest outside a synagogue, puncturing his lung, and Norman Shine, 76, who was wearing a traditional Jewish skullcap, was stabbed in the neck at a bus stop.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
  • By the end of the learning unit, Burton said growth in the children could be seen as their vocabularies expanded to using words such as thermometer, blood pressure and punctured.
    Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • This tank, more than any of its Allied counterparts, sent German designers back to the drawing board to produce the next generation of tanks that featured heavier armor and higher-velocity cannons with greater range and armor-piercing capability.
    Matthew S Williams, Interesting Engineering, 7 May 2026
  • In Inverted Tree, Man for Hire (2004), for example, the trunk of a wily branched tree bears a piercing gaze.
    Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 7 May 2026
Verb
  • The driving range was packed, families milled around the miniature golf course, and inside, the pro shop had been picked nearly clean of gear bearing the course’s logo.
    Rick Maese, Washington Post, 4 May 2026
  • What number will the Steelers be picking from in the 2027 draft?
    Mike DeFabo, New York Times, 4 May 2026
Verb
  • And after carrying some double-headers in recent weeks, NBC curiously opted to air only single games on Monday and Tuesday this week (the series openers of Knicks-76ers and Lakers-OKC), and stuck its two other playoff games those nights on Peacock.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
  • Some of the chemicals that didn’t stick on carpets were flushed with the industry’s wastewater into local sewer pipes and, eventually, the region’s rivers.
    DYLAN JACKSON, ABC News, 6 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jab. Accessed 11 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on jab

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