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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as in to wipe
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of swab
Gabriella Ybarra, San Antonio Express-News, 20 Feb. 2026
Dana next swabs Ilana’s mouth — the inside of her cheek and along the gum line — and her finger nails.
—Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Kelsey Brown, San Antonio Express-News, 12 Jan. 2026
Pap smears, on the other hand, use a metal or plastic device called a speculum to widen the vaginal canal so a clinician can swab the cervix for cells.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for swab
Noun
Attorneys for Clare also sought to suppress mouth swabs collected from Clare and items taken by authorities from his home, including a phone and computer, but that motion was denied by the judge.
—Gabriella Ybarra, San Antonio Express-News, 20 Feb. 2026
Dana next swabs Ilana’s mouth — the inside of her cheek and along the gum line — and her finger nails.
—Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
Similar to his trip to the Arctic, he was set to swab and syringe anything that looked promising, secure the findings in test tubes and collect as much information as possible — salinity, pressure, temperature — about where samples were found.
—Kelsey Brown, San Antonio Express-News, 12 Jan. 2026
Pap smears, on the other hand, use a metal or plastic device called a speculum to widen the vaginal canal so a clinician can swab the cervix for cells.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for swab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swab
Noun
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Another vessel, the IRIS Bushehr, requested assistance from Sri Lanka and more than 200 sailors were brought ashore.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Mar. 2026
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Another Iranian vessel, the IRIS Bushehr, requested assistance from Sri Lanka, where more than 200 sailors were being brought ashore.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But some backpacks are better for travel than others, perhaps designed with isolated shoe compartments, holes to feed your phone charging cable through, jewelry pouches, and special materials that simply wipe clean after picking up germs from public floors.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
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Then use a microfiber cloth barely dampened with water to wipe the fixture clean, making sure to get into any grooves and crevices.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Leighty declined to provide further details about the mariner and the circumstances of their death, citing the ongoing investigation.—
Leo Bertucci,
Louisville Courier Journal,
1 Mar. 2026
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In the case of Galaxidi, however, the flour war seems to be of more recent vintage, namely from the 19th century, when traveling mariners took their inspiration from similar happenings in Sicily.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But the reference was later scrubbed from Valve’s website.—
Will McCurdy,
PC Magazine,
8 Mar. 2026
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Be careful not to scrub too hard to avoid damaging the materials.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Israel said its forces were looking for information about Israeli navigator Ron Arad, who went missing after his fighter jet crashed in Lebanon 40 years ago.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
7 Mar. 2026
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The building’s skyway-level service center provides in-person assistance and connections to county programs, including child support applications and public benefits, with guidance from a financial navigator.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The project will fully rebuild Touhy Avenue between Elmhurst and Mount Prospect roads in Elk Grove Village, unincorporated Elk Grove Township, and Des Plaines, and brushing against the northern edge of Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
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Whisk light corn syrup with a bit of water, brush it into indents, and sprinkle on colored sugar.—
Laura Fenton,
Parents,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Before planting, wash containers with soap and water, then rinse with a solution of one part bleach to ten parts water to prevent disease.—
Holly McNamara,
Hartford Courant,
7 Mar. 2026
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How to clean hummingbird feeders Ensure your feeders are thoroughly washed and rinsed before filling them with food.—
Jordan Green,
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Your Floors Make an effort to vacuum and mop the floors in your home every Saturday, Evans advises.—
Sarah Lyon,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
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Vacuum frequently and mop with a gentle, nontoxic solution.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swab. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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