1
a
: mop
especially
: a yarn mop
b(1)
: a wad of absorbent material usually wound around one end of a small stick and used especially for applying medication or for removing material from an area
(2)
: a specimen taken with a swab
c
: a sponge or cloth patch attached to a long handle and used to clean the bore of a firearm
swabbed; swabbing
1
: to clean with or as if with a swab
2
: to apply medication to with a swab
swabbed the wound with iodine
Examples of swab in a Sentence
Noun
Use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol to disinfect the area.
The doctor took a throat swab and sent it to the lab.
Verb
The nurse swabbed the cut with a disinfectant.
Recent Examples on the Web
Max Levy, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2025
The test is taken via cheek swab with possibly a dry blood sample if necessary.
—Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 25 Mar. 2025
Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2025
World Athletics is set to introduce cheek swabbing tests to establish whether an athlete should be eligible to compete in its female competitions, its president, Lord Sebastian Coe, said Tuesday.
—Ben Burrows, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swab
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Costilla County Sheriff Danny Sanchez said in the post that Denholm’s wounds were swabbed, and the sheriff’s office is partnering with CBI to test DNA found on the swabs.
—Max Levy, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2025
The test is taken via cheek swab with possibly a dry blood sample if necessary.
—Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 25 Mar. 2025
Verb
House Woman claims she got swabbed by CDC at Miami International Airport
Kathryn Watson
Kathryn Watson is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C.
—Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2025
World Athletics is set to introduce cheek swabbing tests to establish whether an athlete should be eligible to compete in its female competitions, its president, Lord Sebastian Coe, said Tuesday.
—Ben Burrows, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swab
Cite this Entry
“Swab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swab. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
swab
1 of 2 noun1
b
: a wad of absorbent material usually wound around one end of a small stick and used especially for applying medicine or for removing material (as from a wound)
also
: a sample taken with a swab
2
: sailor
swab
2 of 2 verb
swabbed; swabbing
: to use a swab on
Medical Definition
swab
1 of 2 noun1
: a wad of absorbent material usually wound around one end of a small stick and used for applying medication or for removing material from an area
2
: a specimen taken with a swab
a throat swab
swab
2 of 2 transitive verb
swabbed; swabbing
: to apply medication to with a swab
swabbed the wound with iodine
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