as in pierces
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object
stabbed the pesky leaf with the tines of the rake
Synonyms & Similar Words
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1
as in punctures
a mark or small hole made by a pointed instrument
the injection left a small stab on her upper arm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stabs
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
Bautista stabs and shoots his assailants in an operatic eruption of violence that is done in a single, extended shot.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 5 Feb. 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
And then there was Belew, enlisted to help bring Fripp’s new guitar sound to life, picking together in intricate rhythmic patterns, like the trick where someone lays their hand on the table and stabs a knife between their fingers at increasingly rapid speeds.
—Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 11 Jan. 2026
The suspect pounces on Ennin while the victim is down and stabs him multiple times before running off.
—Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2026
Later, Fiona confronts Constance at the Van Ness mansion, where Constance stabs Dahlia in the leg in front of Fiona.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 9 Dec. 2025
Dan Greene, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
While a warm, four-bar bassline chugs alongside dubby stabs and bouncy swells, BEA1991’s vocals switch from nonchalant monotone to falsetto in a way that sounds like an involuntary yelp of joy.
—Reid Bg, Pitchfork, 28 Apr. 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
New Line has taken stabs at developing a sequel with Heisserer and Chris Borrelli penning scripts over the years.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2026
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
With a funky groove, ‘80s synthesizer stabs, party noises and a put-your-hands-in-the-air-wooo!
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 4 Mar. 2026
The spaces get smaller and smaller as the shark approaches, radiating a sense of that closing distance until the string stabs cut into the listener like so many glistening teeth.
—Alex Galbraith, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
Dress shoe hybrids are also becoming more common in the wider world of sneakers, with Nike, Saucony and more taking their stabs at the trend.
—Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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
Bautista stabs and shoots his assailants in an operatic eruption of violence that is done in a single, extended shot.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 5 Feb. 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
And then there was Belew, enlisted to help bring Fripp’s new guitar sound to life, picking together in intricate rhythmic patterns, like the trick where someone lays their hand on the table and stabs a knife between their fingers at increasingly rapid speeds.
—Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 11 Jan. 2026
The suspect pounces on Ennin while the victim is down and stabs him multiple times before running off.
—Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2026
Later, Fiona confronts Constance at the Van Ness mansion, where Constance stabs Dahlia in the leg in front of Fiona.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 9 Dec. 2025
Noun
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
While a warm, four-bar bassline chugs alongside dubby stabs and bouncy swells, BEA1991’s vocals switch from nonchalant monotone to falsetto in a way that sounds like an involuntary yelp of joy.
—Reid Bg, Pitchfork, 28 Apr. 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
New Line has taken stabs at developing a sequel with Heisserer and Chris Borrelli penning scripts over the years.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2026
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
With a funky groove, ‘80s synthesizer stabs, party noises and a put-your-hands-in-the-air-wooo!
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 4 Mar. 2026
The spaces get smaller and smaller as the shark approaches, radiating a sense of that closing distance until the string stabs cut into the listener like so many glistening teeth.
—Alex Galbraith, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
Dress shoe hybrids are also becoming more common in the wider world of sneakers, with Nike, Saucony and more taking their stabs at the trend.
—Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stabs
Verb
-
Lockwood’s music instills joy in listening, and such revitalized desire leaves your body freshly tender, sensitive to whatever pierces the ear.—
Joshua Minsoo Kim,
Pitchfork,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Its 1959 Googie-style sign pierces the sky, a beacon of hope for weary road-trippers cruising this achingly lonely stretch of highway.—
Zoey Goto,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Attenborough communicated with the tribe using gestures, looked at their personal ornaments and enquired about the pegs in the ritual punctures in the nose of one of the men.—
Amarachi Orie,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
-
The pay reality punctures that myth entirely.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
After various attempts to get in contact with Jordan, Wendy, a LifeCare social worker, received a call from an unknown number.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
-
That includes bank levies or attempts to garnish non-exempt income.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
18 May 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
-
The public jabs from the president have angered some Catholics, the single largest religious denomination in the United States, according to Pew Research Center.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Because eventually the Knicks will have to stop picking on teams beneath them and trade punches with a legitimate heavyweight.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
24 May 2026
-
Taffer’s Browned Butter Bourbon is made through a process that draws out the bourbon’s natural toffee and vanilla notes, bringing rich flavor and a smooth summer twist to seasonal cocktails and punches.—
Claudia Alarcón,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
England, after conceding nine tries in its previous two matches, restricted the best defensive team to four tries, two by Bourdon Sansus, and Jones was proud.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 May 2026
-
The White Sox beat the Royals 6-5 on Wednesday night at Rate Field for Chicago’s fourth victory in six tries against KC this season.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
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.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
17 May 2026
-
This is why the Cleveland Cavaliers surrendered three players and three unprotected draft picks to acquire Donovan Mitchell, for moments such as Sunday’s Game 7 in Detroit.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
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
Cite this Entry
“Stabs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stabs. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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