Thesaurus results for STABS

stabs 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of stab

as in pierces

to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object stabbed the pesky leaf with the tines of the rake

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stabs

2 of 2

noun

plural of stab

as in punctures

a mark or small hole made by a pointed instrument the injection left a small stab on her upper arm

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as in attempts

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 stabs

Verb

Kara talks her out of it, and when Ruthye walks away, Kara turns back to Krem and stabs him multiple times with a sword. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 27 June 2026 On cue, a Frey leaps out and stabs Robb’s pregnant wife Talisa (Oona Chaplin) in the stomach, and a volley of crossbow arrows lay into Robb and his friends. — Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026 Mookie stabs a ball going back up the middle to save a pair of runs. — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 25 June 2026 His right-hand man, Bishop, pulls an Iago on him and stabs him in the back by emptying his bullets. — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 1 June 2026 The shower curtain opens, revealing an old woman, who stabs and decapitates Mary. — Therie Hendrey-Seabrook, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Mar. 2026 But this person who was a friend, who owes her career to me, just stabs me in the back. — Maer Roshan, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026 Milo tries to be a hero, trying to use pepper spray on Morgan, but Morgan stabs and kills him. — Barry Levitt, Time, 21 Jan. 2026 Percy, now carrying the Golden Fleece, runs toward the elevator, but Luke stabs him through the closing doors. — Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026

Noun

As are chunks of the opening song; a line here, and a line there; an entirely new closing number has replaced the first stabs at a closing number; and every awkward silence is excised. — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026 Of course, editing for stabs at human embryo enhancement is far more controversial and ethically fraught. — Paul Knoepfler, STAT, 24 June 2026 However, desperate stabs at reinvention, from attempts to break into the prediction and cryptocurrency markets to a bizarre and unexpected merger with a fusion power company called TAE Technologies late last year, have done little to instill confidence. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 24 June 2026 This question stabs at the heart of the culture war that is currently raging in America. — Dr. Matthew Warshauer, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2026 The keyboard on the TravelMate P6 was perfectly satisfactory in my brief stabs at typing. — John Burek, PC Magazine, 29 May 2026 That definitely took a lot of stabs. — Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 19 May 2026 Fans take their own stabs pro bono, posting to Reddit their predictions for the draft’s first round, or their bespoke guesses for all two hundred and fifty-seven picks. — Dan Greene, New Yorker, 18 May 2026 His tight chord stabs, jazzy voicings and glinting tone are an indelible sonic signature, up there with Louis Armstrong’s trumpet blasts and Aretha Franklin’s rolling, tolling gospel piano. — New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stabs

Verb

An ice sculpture of a heart includes a tube through the ice arrow that pierces the heart.

— Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 10 July 2026
And who the f--- pierces a 12 year old?

— Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 24 May 2026

Definition of pierces

Noun

The state has pushed back for years against AT&T’s attempts to cut copper landlines.

— Jenny Jarvie Follow, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Shaw, a conservative activist who is president of the Chino Valley Unified School District board, pointed out in an X post that voters had previously rejected four attempts to reshape the superintendent’s office.

— Lia Russell July 10, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026

Definition of attempts

Verb

Continue reading … OUT OF LEFT FIELD — Tom Hanks jokingly jabs MS NOW while speaking with reporter live on the network.

— , FOXNews.com, 19 June 2026
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

Definition of jabs

Noun

There was a June 1977 friendly in Buenos Aires where punches were thrown and players were ejected.

— Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 July 2026
But the Azteca started to change that, with that long second half rearguard, the deep 5-3-1, those endless headers and blocks and punches.

— Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 12 July 2026

Definition of punches

Verb

Instead, the forward now picks his moments, strolling around the pitch to find space and then exploding into action.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
Subscribe here to our newsletter In Review by David Ehrlich, in which our Chief Film Critic and Head Reviews Editor rounds up the best new reviews and streaming picks along with some exclusive musings — all only available to subscribers.

— David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 15 July 2026

Definition of picks

Noun

Does this mean those pop-goes-punk comp albums are coming back?

— Bethy Squires, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026
Except then there’s the chance of being FUNNELED, placed on the rails and headed for a very specific destination, instead of the OPEN-WORLD anything-goes of traditional D&D.

— Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026