often attributive
1
a
: a short projecting device: such as
(1)
: a small flap or loop by which something may be grasped or pulled
(2)
: a projection from a card used as an aid in filing
b
: a small insert, addition, or remnant
d
: a small auxiliary airfoil hinged to a control surface (such as a trailing edge) to help stabilize an airplane in flight see airplane illustration
2
[partly short for table entry 1; partly from sense 1]
a
: close surveillance : watch
keep tabs on trends
c
: cost
the tab for the new program
3
[short for tabulator]
: a key on a keyboard that indents text by a preset amount
tabbed; tabbing
Examples of tab in a Sentence
Noun
Insert the tab into this slot to close the box.
a notebook with index tabs
The tab on the zipper is broken.
He ran up a $200 bar tab.
He put the drinks on his tab.
Verb
After you type your name in the first box, you can move to the next box by tabbing.
Recent Examples on the Web
Steve Nadis, Quanta Magazine, 24 Jan. 2025
An American philanthropic organization, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, quickly agreed to pick up the tab for Faktor-Druk’s reconstruction.
—Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Jan. 2025
Ryan Morik, Fox News, 29 Jan. 2025
Gordon had been tabbed by the county’s Democratic leaders to run for the clerk’s job after the death last spring of Karen Yarbrough.
—Mike Nolan, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for tab 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
In 2004, a team of researchers found that the best any algorithm could do (opens a new tab) for the library sorting problem — in other words, the ultimate lower bound — was log n.
—Steve Nadis, Quanta Magazine, 24 Jan. 2025
An American philanthropic organization, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, quickly agreed to pick up the tab for Faktor-Druk’s reconstruction.
—Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Jan. 2025
Verb
Buffalo center Connor McGovern was also tabbed as a replacement.
—Ryan Morik, Fox News, 29 Jan. 2025
Gordon had been tabbed by the county’s Democratic leaders to run for the clerk’s job after the death last spring of Karen Yarbrough.
—Mike Nolan, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for tab
Dictionary Entries Near tab
Cite this Entry
“Tab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tab. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tab
1 of 2 noun1
a
: a short flap or tag used as an aid in filing, pulling, or hanging
b
: something inserted
2
a
: close watch
keep tabs on fashion trends
3
: a key on a keyboard especially for arranging information in columns
tab
2 of 2 verb
tabbed; tabbing
1
: to furnish or ornament with tabs
2
: to select or name for a special purpose : designate
tabbed as the team's next captain
3
: to hit the tab key on a keyboard
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share