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

In the first five minutes, her Judith stabs a man at a party, escapes on skis and celebrates a job well done by bedding a besotted hottie. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2026 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 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

The conversation ranged from Nolan’s decision to make Polyphemus (the Cyclops that Matt Damon’s Odysseus stabs in the eye) nonverbal to the film’s depiction of language itself. — Antonio Ferme, Variety, 18 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 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

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

Several attempts finished just short or caught the edge of the cup.

— Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
Trump spoke now not only to distract from his sputtering Iran war and its effects on the economy, but also because his attempts to concretely interfere with the 2026 election thus far have almost all failed.

— David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026

Definition of attempts

Verb

Michigan Dem hopeful Abdul El-Sayed jabs CNN giving him 'non-consensual colonoscopy' in recent interviews.

— , FOXNews.com, 21 July 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

With Gable and Rusev left standing, the two went back and forth with punches.

— Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
New York Yankees shortstop José Caballero was at the center of a tense scene on Monday night — one in which benches cleared, words were exchanged, but no punches were thrown.

— Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 21 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