stab 1 of 2

verb

Definition of stabnext
as in to pierce
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object stabbed the pesky leaf with the tines of the rake

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stab

2 of 2

noun

ˈstab How to pronounce stab (audio)
1
as in puncture
a mark or small hole made by a pointed instrument the injection left a small stab on her upper arm

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in attempt
an effort to do or accomplish something everybody will get a stab at solving the problem

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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 stab
Verb
Sibley rushed Popov, apparently to disarm the teen and save his friends, prosecutors argued, and Popov stabbed him in the heart. — John Annese, New York Daily News, 16 July 2026 As the victim turned to get the water, the attacker began stabbing him, Din told the newspaper. — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 16 July 2026
Noun
Starmer re-emphasized the gravity of the threat in late April after an antisemitic attack in Golders Green, a predominantly Jewish area in London, saw two Jewish men taken to hospital with stab wounds. — Tiago Ventura, Time, 13 July 2026 And while most of the film is unrelentingly grim, its few stabs at dark humor — most notably the punchlines about the grandmother’s faulty memory — didn’t garner a chuckle from me. — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for stab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stab
  1. pierce
  2. puncture
  3. attempt
  4. jab
  5. punch
  6. try
  7. pick
  8. stick
Verb
  • According to the artist who made it, John Buckley, and the owner of the home pierced by the shark, Bill Heine, the work was meant as a protest against the recent bombing of Libya, nuclear power and nuclear war, among other things.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2026
  • Much of the campaign focused on educating beachgoers about the presence of the quirky birds known for their piercing calls and habit of using their razor sharp bills to crack open oysters and mussels.
    — Michael Casey, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of pierce
Noun
  • The neighbor also suffered a puncture wound during the fight, police said.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026
  • Necrotizing fasciitis can be contracted when bacteria that thrives in warm, brackish waters enters the body through open cuts, scrapes, burns or other puncture wounds, or by eating raw or undercooked shellfish.
    — Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026
Definition of puncture
Noun
  • Ampersand attempts to address this by putting the compliance logic at the wallet layer rather than the application layer.
    — Aaron Stanley, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • However, the most positive-minded attacker was France’s Bradley Barcola, who looked to break multiple lines with over 10 per cent of his attempts.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of attempt
Verb
  • The heron dropped it to jab at it, presumably to kill it for good, then lifted her head up so her bill was pointing skyward, and down the hatch went the whole gopher.
    — Joan Morris, Mercury News, 20 July 2026
  • Zverev, who won the French Open and is seeking back-to-back Grand Slam titles, uses an insulin pen when needed to jab the top of his thigh during changeovers on court.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026
Definition of jab
Noun
  • The couple’s tequila brand Pantalones Organic Tequila is partnering with Tipsy Scoop for two new flavors that pack all the punch of a margarita into a dessert that’s perfect for summer.
    — Sabienna Bowman, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026
  • Finish by going around the edges of the board with your punch needle embroidery tool to tuck any loose fabric edges into the frame.
    — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 July 2026
Definition of punch
Noun
  • While hosting the Kings Cup regatta in August 2019, Kate gave summer knits a try in a striped Sandro top and navy double-breasted trousers.
    — Zoe Kaplan, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026
  • Pendrith drove into a fairway bunker, left his approach well short and missed a 10-foot par try.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 July 2026
Definition of try
Verb
  • Of course, this would depend on whether the managers choose to pick their strongest teams in what for some is a meaningless, even annoying extra fixture, for squads who just want to go home.
    — Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • There also is the NBA salary-cap carveout allowing teams to pay second-round picks even less than the minimum-salary scale.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 18 July 2026
Definition of pick
Verb
  • Hanania is not the sort of person to stick a Science is real sign in his front yard.
    — Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 19 July 2026
  • America at 250 seems stuck in a miasma of rival populisms that offer irreconcilable visions for curing what ails our country.
    — Will Marshall, Washington Post, 18 July 2026
Definition of stick

Phrases Containing stab

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squooshy
stab
stabbed
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Cite this Entry

“Stab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stab. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of stab for Spanish Speakers

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