stab

1 of 2

noun

ˈstab 

1

: a wound produced by a pointed object or weapon

2

a

: a thrust of a pointed weapon

b

: a jerky thrust

3

: effort, try

4

: a sudden sharp feeling

stabs of regret

stab

2 of 2

verb

stabbed; stabbing

transitive verb

1

: to wound or pierce by the thrust of a pointed object or weapon

2

: thrust, drive

intransitive verb

: to thrust or give a wound with or as if with a pointed weapon

stabber noun

Phrases

stab in the back

: betray

Synonyms

Noun

• perforation
• pinhole
• pinprick
• prick
• punch
• puncture

Verb

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

Examples of stab in a Sentence

Noun

the injection left a small stab on her upper arm

everybody will get a stab at solving the problem

Verb

He stabbed her with a dagger.

The victim was stabbed in the chest five times.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Sure, the Currys should get another stab at it on Monday, when the Warriors make their annual trek to Charlotte and Steph Curry’s yearly shining moment in uptown takes place. —Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 26 Feb. 2025

According to the Riverside Press-Enterprise, Olejniczak was found dead in his apartment with stab wounds to his chest. —Christian Martinez, The Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2025

Verb

Listen to this article A 58-year-old man was stabbed in the back of his shoulder and bitten on the top of his head while onboard an L train in Brooklyn, police said Friday. —Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 1 Mar. 2025

He is charged with four counts of murder in connection with the brutal stabbing deaths of Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20. —Nicole Acosta, People.com, 27 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English stabbe

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing stab

• a stab in the dark
• give it a stab
• have a stab at
• stab in the back
• take/make a stab at

Rhymes for stab

• ab
• cab
• crab
• dab
• drab
• fab
• gab
• grab
• jab
• lab
• mab
• nab

Kids Definition

stab

1 of 2 noun

ˈstab 

1

: a wound produced by a pointed object or weapon

2

: a thrust of a pointed weapon

3

: effort sense 2, try

I'll take a stab at it

stab

2 of 2 verb

stabbed; stabbing

1

: to wound or pierce by the thrust of a pointed object or weapon

2

: thrust entry 1 sense 1, drive

stabber noun

Medical Definition

stab

1 of 2 noun

ˈstab 

1

: a wound produced by a pointed object or weapon

2

a

: a culture medium solidified in an upright column in a tube to reduce the surface to a minimum compare slant

b

: stab culture

stab

2 of 2 transitive verb

stabbed; stabbing

: to wound or pierce by the thrust of a pointed object or weapon