as in to stab
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object
jabbed a pickle and tossed it on the plate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of jab
Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
Semafor reported that this was a specific jab at Anthropic.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
Faith Bugenhagen, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026
The casting director playfully jabbed Anderson in her acceptance speech, referencing the filmmaker's 14 career Oscar nominations without a victory.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for jab
Noun
Her tongue-in-cheek jab spoke to their history as creative partners, and to the fact that Anderson had been nominated 14 times for an Academy Award heading into Sunday night.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
Semafor reported that this was a specific jab at Anthropic.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
Verb
The attorney general also took the opportunity to jab Cornyn, scrutinizing him for backing the abolishment of the filibuster.
—Faith Bugenhagen, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026
The casting director playfully jabbed Anderson in her acceptance speech, referencing the filmmaker's 14 career Oscar nominations without a victory.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for jab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jab
Noun
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Here’s where the viral clip gets its real punch.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
30 Mar. 2026
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Our expert take The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a punch for a $95 annual fee card, offering annual travel credits, comprehensive travel protections and more.—
Jason Stauffer,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The teen was involved in an argument when his adversary stabbed him multiple times with a knife, said police.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
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Police allege the suspect then recklessly stabbed backward numerous times, striking the victim in the leg, according to Jaques.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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No matter that Route 66 was a federal highway; the chance for a little ex-post-facto rerouting likely appealed to Mayor Brandon Johnson as another way to give the feds a little poke in the eye.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
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DeSantis, in Jacksonville on Friday, could not resist a poke at his fellow Republicans.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Production quirks like volume and pitch changes, multiple beat switches, brash sonic redirections punctuated by everything from samples of glass shattering to synth stabs puncturing through sheaths of filters, make for a kind of chaotic symphony that feels deliriously of the moment.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
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Beckett’s patter of repetitions and reversals—as the tape is rewound, replayed, and punctured by Krapp’s speech in the present—resembles Lerner’s technique.—
Hannah Gold,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Armed with my beloved buns (one already torn into) the rest of the flight slipped by, until New York’s piercing skyline came firmly into view.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
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The bullet that struck McKay passed through his arm, pierced his torso and struck his heart inside the Key Gardens burger joint, on Metropolitan Ave.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Your job is to pick and choose your way through the heap.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2026
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Boo and Scout were hand-picked for the Bidens by staff at the animal welfare group.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Simplifying remote access for users with a wide range of tech savvy (or for those stuck in BIOS or trying to troubleshoot) can speed up support and maybe even prevent the need to send a machine in the mail for servicing.—
John Burek,
PC Magazine,
25 Mar. 2026
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Many oil tankers are currently stuck outside the Strait of Hormuz off Iran’s coast, and the blockage has sent Brent crude’s price to nearly $120 per barrel at times.—
Stan Choe,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jab. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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