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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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
  • The United States has more than 50,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines stationed throughout Japan, including on several bases in Okinawa, an island chain in the south.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Chasing rumors, sailors left hundreds of ships abandoned in the harbor.
    — Richard Kreitner, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of sailor
Verb
  • Wife kept in the dark about a financial gamble that could wipe them out?
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Sierra put his head down throughout the statements but appeared to wipe under his eyes as Padrino spoke.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of wipe
Noun
  • Seas will also begin to lower as the nor'easter pulls away, but inexperienced mariners and small vessels are encouraged to stay docked on Monday as rough seas and gusty winds are still likely.
    — Sarah Wroblewski, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026
  • For example, Kingsborough Community College, located in South Brooklyn, where the Sheepshead and Jamaica Bays meet the Atlantic Ocean, operates a maritime technology program that is training the next generation of local mariners.
    — Julie Raskin, New York Daily News, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of mariner
Verb
  • Is a moment of discomfort or failure or confusion so intolerable that it must be scrubbed away forever?
    — James Folta, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Squeeze some toothpaste on, scrub around for a couple minutes, rinse and get on with your day.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of scrub
Noun
  • The navigator also suggested the Orlando area’s Lynx transportation system, which Holmes said would cost his family money.
    — Justin Garcia, Miami Herald, 28 Sep. 2026
  • And of the 93 Hope navigators on the payroll today, 54 were already working for DCF before the program launched in September 2021.
    — Sharmila Venkatasubban, Sun Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of navigator
Verb
  • Across campus, students raised trembling voices, burst into applause, and brushed away tears.
    — Jeannine Chiang, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Silver brushed off this week’s rejection as a bump in the road.
    — Alex Sherman, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of brush
Verb
  • Squeeze some toothpaste on, scrub around for a couple minutes, rinse and get on with your day.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Leading off the bathroom is a small brick courtyard and an outdoor shower, ideal to rinse off after a dip in your pool, but not private enough to take the place of the indoor one.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 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 13 Oct. 2026.

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