1
2
as in sprinkling
a very small amount
she added a dab of sesame oil to the dressing before pouring it on the salad
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in slap
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
a bear can knock a man down with a simple dab of his paw
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in expert
a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field
a dab at finding unappreciated collectibles and reselling them at a considerable profit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of dab
Nora Heston Tarte, Mercury News, 18 May 2026
And with the return of Kelly Reilly's Beth and Cole Hauser's Rip, things are about to get spicier than a dab of Texas Pete.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 15 May 2026
ABC News, 8 Mar. 2026
Use a small brush to dab pollen from the outer stamens to the center blossom to mimic pollination.
—Lauren Wellbank, Martha Stewart, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dab
Noun
Aptly named for its location smack dab in the middle of Main Street and right on the edge of the harbor, Waters Edge has waterfront rooms with dreamy aesthetics.
—Nora Heston Tarte, Mercury News, 18 May 2026
And with the return of Kelly Reilly's Beth and Cole Hauser's Rip, things are about to get spicier than a dab of Texas Pete.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Verb
Helpers regularly hand out paper tissues for people to dab away tears.
—ABC News, 8 Mar. 2026
Use a small brush to dab pollen from the outer stamens to the center blossom to mimic pollination.
—Lauren Wellbank, Martha Stewart, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dab
Noun
-
Going for less is more, with a jab at some pro-Pratt online ads, Bass swung back late this morning.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
26 May 2026
-
Spencer Pratt responds to Drew Carey's ‘serial scammer’ insult with Epstein jab.—
,
FOXNews.com,
26 May 2026
Noun
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This one is extra delicious served chilled with just a sprinkling of sea salt.—
Joanna Sciarrino,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 May 2026
-
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and a sprinkling of about 1/4 of the battuto plus a small drizzle of olive oil.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
25 May 2026
Noun
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As Saints retorted, Williams hit him with a backhand slap.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
30 May 2026
-
Here, The Athletic reviews Everton’s season just gone — their first at Hill Dickinson Stadium and one of highs, lows, slaps and… toasters.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
Alessandro Bastoni has had a 2026 to forget — but our experts still think the Inter man is worth top dollar.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
-
But experts for years have said companies have not learned from past mistakes.—
Iris Kwok,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2026
Verb
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The dog couldn’t go in her room so soon after her transplant, so Aspen dabbed colors on a small canvas and handed it to Scott, who put it in a plastic bag and smeared peanut butter on top.—
Laura Ungar,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2026
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The dog couldn’t go in her room so soon after her transplant, so Aspen dabbed colors on a small canvas and handed it to Scott, who put it in a plastic bag and smeared peanut butter on top.—
Laura Ungar,
Fortune,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
After Munich this year, Shelton patted himself on the back.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
-
Bill de Blasio had campaigned against aggressive policing, particularly the city’s controversial policy of briefly detaining people and patting them down for weapons.—
Elizabeth Glazer,
The Atlantic,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Rhodes peppered Gunther with punches, a bionic elbow and a Pedigree for a nearfall.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
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For Democrats who had a similar reaction in real time, but who spent months being told by the Biden campaign that their concerns were overblown, her remarks landed like a gut punch.—
Ana Ceballos
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2026
Noun
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The calming design from Japanese architect Kengo Kuma instils a sense of peace, complemented by the villas’ light wood and white color scheme that’s daubed with splashes of ocean blues.—
Lauren Keith,
Robb Report,
30 May 2026
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After all, Kazakhstan is back in town and ready to make a splash.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dab. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
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