SWAB Synonyms: 75 Similar and Opposite Words

swab 1 of 2

noun

ˈswäb

Definition of swab

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

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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

His fellow University of Pennsylvania football players performed cheek swabs on students who stopped to sign up at the event this spring. — Rylan Digiacomo-Rapp, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 June 2026 An inspection found traces of the insecticide phosphine gas on towels, masks and swab samples taken from the hotel. — CBS News, 26 June 2026

Verb

Since launching Team Aaron, nearly 2,000 people registered, ordering a free kit to swab their cheeks. — Wendy Grossman Kantor, PEOPLE, 18 May 2026 Brooms get at crumbs, but to rein in the teeny-tiny particles that irritate your respiratory system, swab down or squeegee once a week. — Nashia Baker, Martha Stewart, 19 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for swab

Recent Examples of Synonyms for swab

Noun

The partnership follows Fathom5’s success in Phase III of the Defense Innovation Unit’s NextMRO Prize Challenge, where the company demonstrated software that turned operational Navy maintenance data into applications designed for use by sailors.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 July 2026
Once home to thousands of sailors and their families, the island emptied after the base closed in 1997.

— Kyle Hopkins, ProPublica, 20 July 2026

Definition of sailor

Verb

Reynolds has watched people wipe a kid's nose or change a diaper and then rinse their hands in the pool, figuring the chlorine will handle it.

— Angela Haupt, Time, 20 July 2026
Place anything that’s sitting on countertops but doesn’t belong there in its proper place, and quickly wipe the countertops and other surfaces, such as the kitchen table.

— Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 July 2026

Definition of wipe

Noun

Passed in 1920, the Jones Act requires that all shipments by water within the United States, including by ocean, be made on ships that are built in America, owned by American companies, and crewed by American mariners.

— James Surowiecki, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026
Centcom said the operation was intended to further diminish Tehran’s ability to attack commercial vessels and civilian mariners transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

— Joseph Wilkins,Sean Conlon, CNBC, 20 July 2026

Definition of mariner

Noun

Your senior hires need a circle that includes a sponsor from senior leadership, a peer who can help explain unwritten norms, an operational navigator to remove administrative obstacles.

— Zaharia-Gabriel Sidere, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Next up is a 38% markdown on the Fitbit Versa 4 smartwatch, a personal health navigator that tracks your metrics.

— Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 10 July 2026

Definition of navigator

Verb

Instead, when you’re done brushing, just spit out that excess toothpaste and let the small amount left over stay on your teeth.

— Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 23 July 2026
The technology used to establish factual decisions proved effective, notwithstanding the complaints from Croatia and Norway about whether the ball had indeed brushed a strand of hair against Portugal or hit an overhead cable against England.

— Graham Scott, New York Times, 22 July 2026

Definition of brush

Verb

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
Add ½ cup of vinegar to a gallon of warm water, and use the solution to mop floors where pet accidents occurred, areas near food and water bowls, and high-traffic areas where pets track in mud or dirt.

— Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 June 2026

Definition of mop

Browse Nearby Words

svelteness

swab

swabbed

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Style

“Swab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swab. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of swab

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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