swab 1 of 2

noun

ˈswäb How to pronounce swab (audio)
Definition of swabnext
as in sailor
one who operates or navigates a seagoing vessel old swabs swapping sea stories as they spend their last days in the veterans' home

Synonyms & Similar Words

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swab

2 of 2

verb

as in to wipe

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Dissimilar Words

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 swab
Noun
For one thing, a positive surface swab still wouldn’t confirm the castle was the source. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026 The complaint claims that a DNA swab from the gun’s trigger contained a mixture of three people, and the results strongly suggest that Miller was one of them. — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2026
Verb
Following the interview, the Connecticut State Police arrived to swab his hands for gunshot residue. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026 In the absence of active lesions to swab for HSV itself, tests must evaluate the immune response to the virus in a patient’s blood, typically by screening for the immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody. — Lauren Schneider, Scientific American, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for swab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swab
  1. sailor
  2. wipe
  3. mariner
  4. scrub
  5. navigator
  6. brush
  7. rinse
  8. mop
Noun
  • Bulgarians voted against a backdrop of growing economic hardship and drone attacks on Black Sea shipping, which have left several sailors dead or missing.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Out in the harbor, the skeletons of derelict ships abandoned by sailors who had gone searching for gold formed the first and strangest San Francisco skyline.
    — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of sailor
Verb
  • Brax Technologies The Wink can also wipe your data when a specific condition is met.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026
  • If your solution to a search is to wipe your phone, think again.
    — Kim Key, PC Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of wipe
Noun
  • And the fact that he was made an officer in the Provincial Marine by the British is a sign of his quality as a mariner and a leader.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
  • According to family history, DaCosta Levy’s family lineage traced to Portugal, where his ancestors had been mariners — almost certainly Sephardic Jews who scattered across the Atlantic world after the Inquisition.
    — Zachary Kranc, Sun Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of mariner
Verb
  • His LinkedIn profile has since been scrubbed of every job except Haemanthus.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
  • But also, this virtual guy is just so darned persistent, popping back up on PSA’s computers even after Michael hires their previous client Vik to scrub the network.
    — Noel Murray, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of scrub
Noun
  • But his big break would come with Star Trek in 1967 — the start of a 25-year journey as navigator of the starship USS Enterprise.
    — Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Smitley works as a family navigator for a nonprofit organization that supports people with mental illness.
    — Stephanie Dhue,Sharon Epperson, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of navigator
Verb
  • Instead, brush the slices with garlic-herb oil and roast them, hands-off.
    — Rick Martinez, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Amit Segal, a political commentator for Channel 12 who is deeply influential on the right, on Tuesday tried to brush off Arab voters’ electoral potential.
    — Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of brush
Verb
  • Apply it for up to three minutes, two to three times a week, then wipe away any excess—no need to rinse.
    — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026
  • After every use, be sure to rinse your pumice stone clean under warm water.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of rinse
Verb
  • The women went to the bathroom to mop the bottoms of their eyes, where their makeup was smeared from crying.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
  • Its roller has 24 water ports that spin at 270 rpm, or nine times per second, to mop your floors up.
    — George Yang, PC Magazine, 9 July 2026
Definition of mop

Browse Nearby Words

svelteness
swab
swabbed
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Cite this Entry

“Swab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swab. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

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