jab

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verb

ˈjab 

jabbed; jabbing; jabs

transitive verb

1

a

: to pierce or prod (someone or something) with or as if with a pointed object

She jabbed the steak with her fork.

The nurse jabbed me with the needle.

He jabbed me in the ribs with his elbow.

b

: to push or drive (something, such as a pointed object) quickly, abruptly, or forcefully : thrust

The nurse jabbed the needle into my arm.

She jabbed her elbow into my ribs.

He shouted at Alvarez … , jabbing a finger into the catcher's chest protector.

—Wina Sturgeon

"And look at those girls over there," the woman said, jabbing a finger at my sister's children …

—Hope Reeves

The robbers then jabbed a gun into Goldberg's back, he told police, and demanded that he hand over his keys.

—The Miami Herald

2

: to strike (someone or something) with a short straight blow

specifically, sports : to strike (an opponent) with a short straight punch that is delivered with the leading hand

He tried to jab him in the first round, and Ali's head wasn't there.

—Gilbert Rogin

3

: to pointedly tease or mock (someone)

We joke around. … I was jabbing him about injuries he's had.

—Sports Illustrated

intransitive verb

1

a

: to prod quickly or abruptly and often repeatedly with or as if with a pointed object

—usually used with at

He jabbed at his soufflé with a spoon.

—P. G. Wodehouse

… repeatedly jabbed at the puck with his stick.

—Dave Joseph

We all know him or her—the person who stands at the elevator door and jabs at the button three, four, even five times when the car fails to arrive quickly enough.

—Earl Ubell

"You want to talk about this now?" he snarled, … jabbing at me with his finger.

—Jack Gantos

b

: to be thrust or driven quickly, abruptly, or forcefully

—usually used with into

The needle jabbed into my arm.

… reduces any chance of … keys or coins jabbing into your back when riding.

—George Hill

2

: to strike a person with a short straight blow

specifically, sports : to throw a short straight punch that is delivered with the leading hand

The fight was barely a contest after the first round, when Spinks stopped moving and jabbing and began fighting with his back to the ropes.

—William Nack

Bradford jabbed well and made sure that Ali was kept at bay … .

—Bill Crane

3

: to pointedly tease, mock, or make fun of someone

At a moment's notice, he can produce a months-old editorial cartoon jabbing at him and seems genuinely hurt by the message.

—The New York Times

jab

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noun

plural jabs

1

: a quick, abrupt, or forceful thrust or stab especially with something pointed : an act of jabbing

gave it a couple of jabs with a stick

specifically : a short straight boxing punch delivered with the leading hand

a quick left jab

… Holmes fired a jab and crossed with a … right that caught Frazier flush in the face.

—Pat Putnam

Buddy had done a good job of teaching me how to bob and weave and throw a jab.

—Anthony Quinn

2

: a pointed and often mocking comment or criticism

He has a lot of fun with Ranovic, the oh-so-dramatic, eager young undercover cop who consistently fails to understand Salter's ironic jabs.

—Jean MacFarlane Wright

Undeterred, McCain continues with his standard stump speech, leaving in all the anti-Bush jabs.

—Michelle Cottle

3

chiefly British, informal : an injection of something (such as medicine) into one's body with a needle

made an appointment for her second jab

We're averaging 3 million jabs in arms a day.

—Ali Velshi

Synonyms

Verb

• gore
• harpoon
• impale
• lance
• peck
• pick
• pierce
• pink
• puncture
• run through
• skewer
• spear
• spike
• spit
• stab
• stick
• transfix
• transpierce

Noun

• dab
• dig
• lunge
• poke

Examples of jab in a Sentence

Verb

He jabbed at the other player with his hockey stick.

The needle jabbed his arm.

The needle jabbed into his arm.

Noun

She gave him a jab in the ribs.

He threw a right jab to his opponent's body.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The Treasury Secretary and Fed chairman are the two most important economic policy roles in the U.S., and Trump has often jabbed at Powell, who was a Trump appointee during his first term. —Derek Saul, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024

Riley, an attorney, has jabbed the finger right back at his opponent, pointing out that the influx of migrants from the southern border happened under his watch as Congressman. —Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 6 Nov. 2024

Noun

In this postelection, pre-inauguration phase, Trump has already made waves by musing about the status of Canada, suggesting, in an apparent jab at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, that the United States’ sovereign northern neighbor could become a 51st state. —Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024

In the end, Usyk struck a one-two jab just before the final bell, bringing him to victory, per Sky Sports. —Escher Walcott, People.com, 22 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

alteration of job to strike

First Known Use

Verb

1825, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing jab

• take a jab at

Kids Definition

jab

verb

ˈjab

jabbed; jabbing

: to poke quickly or suddenly with or as if with something sharp

jab noun