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
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
But his cartoons, and some early stabs at photography, were not enough to get him into a local art school.
—Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 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
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
But his cartoons, and some early stabs at photography, were not enough to get him into a local art school.
—Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 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
-
Negotiations, compromise, limited strikes, sanctions, temporary deals—none of them stopped, or could stop, Iran’s drive for nuclear-weapons capacity, its incessant efforts to subvert neighbors, or its attempts to destroy the state of Israel.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
-
The Knicks treated the fans who made the trip to a historic performance, making 12 of their first 13 attempts from 3-point range and tying an NBA record with 18 made 3-pointers in the first half.—
Peter Sblendorio,
Hartford Courant,
11 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
-
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
-
Reigns hit a pair of Superman punches, but Fatu hit a kick.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
The Oklahoma City Thunder overcame another valiant Lakers charge Thursday night to win their second game in two tries in the Western Conference semifinals at Paycom Center.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
-
England have comfortably beaten Ireland, Wales, and Scotland, the latter by running in 12 tries in an 84-7 victory, and after facing Italy this weekend, will travel to France for a likely Grand Slam decider on May 17.—
George Ramsay,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Weltman’s draft picks outside the lottery have been unremarkable as well.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2026
-
Ahead, shop more of my mom’s Quince shoe picks for looking fashionable while staying comfortable.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
10 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 14 May. 2026.
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