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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of dab
Sophie Bates The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 26 June 2025
Esparza The ‘Pageboy Bob’ Is Trending for Girls Who Like Soft Layers
By Fiona Embleton
If your sunburn is less of an allover situation and more of a spot-treatment job, dab concealer onto only the reddest parts of your face.
—Amber Rambharose, Glamour, 12 June 2025
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2025
While the theme of mortality is threaded throughout the film, it is also balanced with hope, appreciation and more than a dab of realism.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dab
Noun
His wife and lawyer dabbed their eyes several times.
—Sophie Bates The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 26 June 2025
Esparza The ‘Pageboy Bob’ Is Trending for Girls Who Like Soft Layers
By Fiona Embleton
If your sunburn is less of an allover situation and more of a spot-treatment job, dab concealer onto only the reddest parts of your face.
—Amber Rambharose, Glamour, 12 June 2025
Verb
Again, no need to invest in harsh ingredients—a dab of high-quality beeswax polish or a touch of mineral oil can bring back the shine.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2025
While the theme of mortality is threaded throughout the film, it is also balanced with hope, appreciation and more than a dab of realism.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dab
Verb
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Blood appeared to be smeared across the woman’s nose and mouth and across the sheets, according to court documents.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
26 June 2025
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In the video, Adira takes a special liking to the lipstick, smearing it all over her own mouth and chin, while Olympia seemed to be taking her mom’s notes on how to perfect a makeup look.—
Rachel McRady,
People.com,
18 June 2025
Verb
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It can be pat on the skin under the eyes, but should be used with extreme care.—
Heather Jones,
Verywell Health,
14 July 2025
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As Stanway had passed back to her, the midfielder had patted the air in the universal gesture for ‘calm it down, there’s no rush’.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
Verb
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In another, an audience get to its feet to applaud a famed film director who’s accepting a prize at an awards gala, his face daubed in Indigenous face paint style.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
19 June 2025
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On the front steps, insults daubed in spray paint were directed at both Mayor Karen Bass and President Trump.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
Verb
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The perfumes and hand creams are manufactured in the United States, tapping into some of the relationships Christina built in the industry.—
Karen Billing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 July 2025
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Recently tapped for the role of Beetee in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, Harrison Jr. is coming off turns in films like O’Dessa, Mufasa: The Lion King, Chevalier and Elvis, as well as the Nat Geo series Genius: MLK/X.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
15 July 2025
Verb
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Thumping Afrobeats pipe through the speaker while plates of baby back ribs slathered in gochujang barbecue sauce, spicy edamame and drunken noodle chicken are placed on tables.—
Lyndsay C. Green,
Freep.com,
3 July 2025
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Now head northeast to Memphis, birthplace of rock ‘n roll and some rockin’ pork ribs slathered in a sauce with sweet and sour notes, blended in pitch perfect harmony.—
Catharine Kaufman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 June 2025
Verb
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Local police ran her name through a system typically reserved for people accused of committing crimes, tipping federal authorities to her presence in Michigan.—
Dave Boucher,
Freep.com,
14 July 2025
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No one really tipped the world No. 12 for a title run on the grass, there were simply too many better players, with too much experience in this competition.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
12 July 2025
Verb
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The show was plastered on multiple jumbo screens inside the establishment.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
12 July 2025
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Johnson hopes plastering perpetrators' faces on the city website will deter them from illegally dumping.—
Gina Lee Castro,
jsonline.com,
9 July 2025
Verb
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The founding line walked somberly, holding photographs and drawings of missing relatives, while the more radical marchers sang and clapped boisterously.—
Julia M. Klein,
The Atlantic,
11 July 2025
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In the video, Kotb, 60, can be seen clapping as a friend brings Waffles out of a car to her daughters, who are standing in their driveway waiting to meet their new furry friend.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dab. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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