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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
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Recent Examples of dab
Loren Savini, Allure, 22 Jan. 2025
Sides for the faux festive meal included baked potatoes, green beans, and a dab of margarine.
—Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 6 Jan. 2025
Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 26 Feb. 2025
Poitras, who turns 21 on March 10, is smack dab in the middle of his professional development.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dab
Noun
The final touch is a dab of gloss at the center of your lips for a little extra dimension, says Carrillo, who recommends the Huda Beauty Faux Filler Extra Shine Lip Gloss for creating a juicy luster.
—Loren Savini, Allure, 22 Jan. 2025
Sides for the faux festive meal included baked potatoes, green beans, and a dab of margarine.
—Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
For many, that’s smack dab in the middle of the Glory Days.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 26 Feb. 2025
Poitras, who turns 21 on March 10, is smack dab in the middle of his professional development.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dab
Verb
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By that point the sweatshirt was smeared with their many flavors on offer: chocolate, pistachio and Biscoff.—
Kiana Hayeri,
New York Times,
26 Mar. 2025
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Assailants have stalked them in public and smeared them online.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Remove 2 cups of the shrimp mixture from bag; drain and pat dry.—
Liz Mervosh,
Southern Living,
26 Mar. 2025
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But that’s too pat a way of describing something so slippery and alive.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Their victorious players meander over, gathering in front of a chainlink fence draped with handmade banners daubed in the dark green and deep burgundy of Mohun Bagan, India’s great footballing powerhouse.—
Rory Smith,
New York Times,
26 Mar. 2025
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Also on the red carpet tonight before Tom Tykwer’s opening film Das Licht (The Light), multiple protestors formed another protest, wearing masks and raising hands daubed in what seemed to be red paint.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
13 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Although Lee bogeyed the 16th after hitting into the water, the Australian was able to finish with two pars and maintain his one-shot lead, tapping home from close range on the final hole to seal his debut PGA Tour victory.—
Ben Morse,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2025
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Republicans could see narrowing the ability to access the credits as a way to tap a large pot of money to pay for an extension of President Trump's tax cuts.—
Daniel Moore,
Axios,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
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This nightly routine of slathering on aromatic oils and kneading away tension and worries, prepares the mind and body for a restful sleep.—
Bianca Salonga,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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While slathering on rich creams seems like an obvious solution during this time of year, the idea of shelling out big bucks for the most popular hydrators on the market stops us in our tracks.—
Jennifer Chan,
People.com,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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But Outback’s mistakes and competitors’ innovative strategies have tipped the power order in the restaurant steak wars.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2025
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Sergio Pérez is tipped to make a Formula One return with Cadillac in 2026 when the sport enters a new era of regulations.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Late in the second, Jack McBain plastered Rinzel into the end wall — welcome to the NHL, kid.—
Phil Thompson,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2025
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The fairgrounds where the cowboys stop for lunch are plastered with Wanted posters bearing a sketch of Teonna.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
16 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Eight years ago, tech billionaire Jeff Skoll clapped enthusiastically as Al Gore assuaged the opening-night Sundance crowd just hours before Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th president.—
Tatiana Siegel,
Variety,
19 Mar. 2025
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And the plan to stand and clap for nothing — including a mother whose daughter was brutally murdered, a boy who survived cancer, law enforcement, and the capture of an ISIS terrorist mastermind — was a truly shameful and terrible one.—
S.E. Cupp,
New York Daily News,
5 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dab. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.
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