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
Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2025
Spike takes one of Kelson's tranquilizer darts filled with morphine and stabs Samson in the arm with it.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
After a dramatic confrontation among all parties, Jonah stabs Henry in the chest and shoots him point-blank in the head.
—Claire Franken, TVLine, 18 Sep. 2025
The video shows Zarutska sit in a seat in front of Brown, who fixates on her and after several minutes pulls out a knife and stabs her several times in the neck, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
—Danielle Battaglia, Charlotte Observer, 8 Sep. 2025
Harrison stabs Prater with the needle and knocks the billionaire out.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
The person then stabs it with a long knife.
—Claudia Lauer, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Near the end of the video, the unseen cameraperson flips the notebook to a page containing a diagram of the church and stabs the diagram with a knife.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
After he's caught red-handed, the pilot goes to confront him when the captain stabs him before throwing him overboard.
—Esther Kang, People.com, 26 Dec. 2024
Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 18 Oct. 2025
But before that transition takes place, here are a few final stabs at what’s to come for the Timberwolves in the 2025-26 season.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 17 Oct. 2025
That did actually happen, but Van Sant and screenwriter Austin Kolodny make some additional stabs at turning Fred into the spine of the picture, structuring the movie around his broadcasts — a filmmaking convention that doesn’t really bring anything new to this particular story.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2025
Shorter sci-fi stabs meet surging upward flourishes which also link Believe stylistically to disco and Hi-NRG, associating the track with certain gay subcultural histories.
—Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 9 Aug. 2025
While never-ending rounds of press spread into the evening, Monsta X sets a tempo and refuses to waver, cracking jokes and hyping each other up while taking stabs at English.
—Abby Webster, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Verb
Alex breaks free and, in a panic, repeatedly stabs Evelyn with the syringe.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2025
Spike takes one of Kelson's tranquilizer darts filled with morphine and stabs Samson in the arm with it.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
After a dramatic confrontation among all parties, Jonah stabs Henry in the chest and shoots him point-blank in the head.
—Claire Franken, TVLine, 18 Sep. 2025
The video shows Zarutska sit in a seat in front of Brown, who fixates on her and after several minutes pulls out a knife and stabs her several times in the neck, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
—Danielle Battaglia, Charlotte Observer, 8 Sep. 2025
Harrison stabs Prater with the needle and knocks the billionaire out.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
The person then stabs it with a long knife.
—Claudia Lauer, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Near the end of the video, the unseen cameraperson flips the notebook to a page containing a diagram of the church and stabs the diagram with a knife.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
After he's caught red-handed, the pilot goes to confront him when the captain stabs him before throwing him overboard.
—Esther Kang, People.com, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
There were stabs at horny lounge jazz, a melodramatic Latin guitar ballad, even a folksy blues number.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 18 Oct. 2025
But before that transition takes place, here are a few final stabs at what’s to come for the Timberwolves in the 2025-26 season.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 17 Oct. 2025
That did actually happen, but Van Sant and screenwriter Austin Kolodny make some additional stabs at turning Fred into the spine of the picture, structuring the movie around his broadcasts — a filmmaking convention that doesn’t really bring anything new to this particular story.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2025
Shorter sci-fi stabs meet surging upward flourishes which also link Believe stylistically to disco and Hi-NRG, associating the track with certain gay subcultural histories.
—Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 9 Aug. 2025
While never-ending rounds of press spread into the evening, Monsta X sets a tempo and refuses to waver, cracking jokes and hyping each other up while taking stabs at English.
—Abby Webster, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stabs
Verb
-
Her infectious laugh regularly pierces the newsroom noise.—
Brad Schmitt,
Nashville Tennessean,
20 Oct. 2025
-
But the show's greatest asset is its stars, whose endearing real-life friendship pierces through the play’s inherent despair.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
She was treated for what amounted to antler punctures to her chest and legs, officials said.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Microneedling, also a popular cosmetic procedure, creates microscopic punctures in the skin to produce a similar effect, but does not use radiofrequency.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Even on low volume from deep (seven attempts), that’s a recipe for offensive success, and it was reflected in Mizzou’s 50 first-half points.—
Scott Chasen,
Kansas City Star,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Her clarion voice slices through the show’s labored attempts to be both fable and fabulous.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Srinivas, who often jabs the search engine giant, made an interesting point.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Haggard jabs Baird over mailers The race is already tense.—
Kayla Dwyer,
IndyStar,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
In a video of the attack that was widely circulated on social media, one soldier is seen striking him with the barrel of his rifle, before the settler comes in to land several more punches.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The poem is littered with gut punches that would destroy me as a parent; Lee sees the poem’s beauty and appears to feel appropriate shame.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The Sabres, who still haven’t won a road game in five tries, play their next three games on the road against the Utah Mammoth, Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings, three teams that are rolling early in the season.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Zacha stuck with it and tapped home the GWG, giving the B’s their fourth win in as many tries in extra time this season.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
That was true when there were committee picks figuring into the mix, and true since those were done away with.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Shop picks from Kelly Clarkson, Martha Stewart, Joanna Gaines’ home lines, and more while prices start just $15.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
These nation-wide country-goes-city celebrations of agricultural bounty, mechanical innovations and skilled handcrafts have been drawing crowds since the first fair was held in upstate New York in 1841.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stabs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stabs. Accessed 22 Nov. 2025.
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