as in sailors
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
Relevance
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 swabs
Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
The variant was also present in samples from travelers' voluntary nose swabs.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Sticky pads/swabs to remove debris without leaving residue Sticky pads, also called sensor cleaning pads, use a gentle adhesive surface to lift debris from the sensor without leaving a residue.
—Jacob Little, Space.com, 12 Mar. 2026
To finish up, Dana needs internal and external vaginal swabs, additional swabs in Ilana’s mouth, and then offers meds and information regarding STIs and pregnancy.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
There are photos taken of bruises and black lights to detect bodily fluids, wet and dry swabs, specialized containers to store all of it that only Dana can touch.
—Judy Berman, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Dana next swabs Ilana’s mouth — the inside of her cheek and along the gum line — and her finger nails.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 23 Feb. 2026
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
Noun
Legal search for answers Court filings show the Police Department previously received a subpoena to allow for the inspection of evidence collected at the crime scene, including a bullet fragment, blood swabs and articles of clothing worn by Jane Doe.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
The variant was also present in samples from travelers' voluntary nose swabs.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Sticky pads/swabs to remove debris without leaving residue Sticky pads, also called sensor cleaning pads, use a gentle adhesive surface to lift debris from the sensor without leaving a residue.
—Jacob Little, Space.com, 12 Mar. 2026
To finish up, Dana needs internal and external vaginal swabs, additional swabs in Ilana’s mouth, and then offers meds and information regarding STIs and pregnancy.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
There are photos taken of bruises and black lights to detect bodily fluids, wet and dry swabs, specialized containers to store all of it that only Dana can touch.
—Judy Berman, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Dana next swabs Ilana’s mouth — the inside of her cheek and along the gum line — and her finger nails.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 23 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swabs
Noun
-
The organization Nuestra América Convoy said Friday that based on the speed of the vessels reported to the Cuban maritime authorities, the window of arrival for the boats in Havana should be between Friday and Saturday and that the boats were led by experienced sailors.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Meanwhile, a ship carrying 3,500 US sailors and Marines arrived in the Middle East, and several infrastructure sites were struck in Iran and across the Persian Gulf.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
At least 12 incidents involving vessels around the strait have been confirmed since fighting began, according to two global trackers, and at least seven mariners have been killed.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
-
In recent research, my colleagues and I interviewed professional mariners about their experiences with cyber incidents and their preparedness to respond to them.—
Anna Raymaker,
The Conversation,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Tokyo Stylez, Cardi’s hairstylist, brushes out a sleek brown hairpiece, and Erika la’ pearl, her makeup artist, dabs at Cardi’s face while the rapper scrolls through her phone, controlling the music.—
Jazmine Hughes,
Allure,
24 Mar. 2026
-
When some chime in to say their doctors had been cautiously optimistic about treatments, Sarah brushes that aside.—
Gerald Witt,
AJC.com,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Victim advocacy roles such as shelter managers and housing navigators, which sometimes require a graduate degree, are already chronically underpaid.—
Kaelyn Lara,
The Conversation,
25 Mar. 2026
-
However, navigators sent 12,674 text messages to redirected voters that shared a map of their correct precinct, giving a hint of the scope.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The pH-balanced formula effectively lifts away makeup, bacteria, and daily buildup, then rinses off easily without leaving residue behind.—
Lily Wohlner,
Allure,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Zayas also combs through the dark web, a criminal haven on the internet where anonymous threat actors try to cause real-world harm.—
Heather Abbott,
CBS News,
2 Mar. 2026
-
The panel combs through a variety of influences like film and TV production; art, fashion and design trends; new technologies, materials, textures; and even social media or upcoming sporting events.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
4 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
If one person always scrubs toilet bowl rings, resentment can build, so try to get ahead of that.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Precipitation scrubs the atmosphere clean, picking up pollutants on its way down to the ground.—
Isabel Lopez,
Parents,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
To demonstrate, Ejae smiles to form creases below her eyes, then dusts some brown powder onto the area.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Light snow dusts the canyon’s upper rims, crowds thin, the air turns crisp, and one of the most magical Christmas experiences in the country appears.—
Emilee Coblentz,
Outside,
13 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Swabs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swabs. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
