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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of dab
Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2024
To avoid overexposure to fluoride, children younger than 3 years old should use a rice-sized dab of toothpaste, and children 3 to 6 years old should use a pea-sized amount, according to the CDC.
—Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 16 Sep. 2024
Jen Juneau, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
Stations invited folks to stop and literally smell the roses — or, rather, the scent of lemon, ginger, geranium, patchouli and other oils (which could be dabbed onto cotton balls and taken along for comfort, if needed, later in the day).
—Teri Sforza, Orange County Register, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dab 
Noun
In dabs of electric yellow and lime green, a face started to take shape.
—Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2024
To avoid overexposure to fluoride, children younger than 3 years old should use a rice-sized dab of toothpaste, and children 3 to 6 years old should use a pea-sized amount, according to the CDC.
—Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 16 Sep. 2024
Verb
But the youngsters' older siblings took costume ideas into their own hands, with Luna rocking a creepy black-and-red clown look while Miles dressed up and dabbed as DJ Marshmello.
—Jen Juneau, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
Stations invited folks to stop and literally smell the roses — or, rather, the scent of lemon, ginger, geranium, patchouli and other oils (which could be dabbed onto cotton balls and taken along for comfort, if needed, later in the day).
—Teri Sforza, Orange County Register, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dab
Verb
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Like most waterproof makeup products, these liners are designed to be more resistant to smearing caused by tears and sweat, according to cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos.Sarah Han, Allure, 21 Nov. 2024
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Daniel Penny's defense team wants to 'smear' Jordan Neely in subway chokehold case, prosecutors say Additionally, some witnesses told police that Neely was yelling and harassing passengers on the train.Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Don't skip patting the scallops dry—this is essential in getting a proper sear on them.Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2024
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Just as Charles went to pat his head, Hephner sneezed on him, catching the King—and the surrounding crowd—off guard.Erin Hill, People.com, 21 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Its conclusions, though daubed with Dickensian whimsy and child’s-eye uplift, are remarkably tough and unyielding.Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2024
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Painterly passages that are thickly slathered, daubed, and swirled animate her surfaces as much as the animals do.Sarah Lehrer-Graiwer, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2024
Verb
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The opulent color possesses surreal and otherworldly qualities—traits that align with consumers’ desire for products and experiences that tap into the senses.Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 22 Nov. 2024
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The album then descends into a mix of West Coast bops and pensive soulful cuts, tapping Mustard yet again and a slew of local west coast artists that people may not have been familiar with.Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 22 Nov. 2024
Verb
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This formulation contains a very minimal amount of retinol (0.01 percent) and is fragrance-free, so sensitive skin types shouldn't encounter irritation—but, as always, patch-test before slathering just to be sure.Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 29 Oct. 2024
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Arguably the best part of this already popular YouTube series are the deeply thoughtful questions from Evans that his guest must answer while attempting to manage chicken wings slathered in hot sauces with names like Da Bomb and Arbol Scorpion.Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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But choices today are limited, tipping the scales in favor of employers.Chris Westfall, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
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By the time the British — doubly warned by the IRA and by the Palace Barracks, who tipped off Scotland Yard after getting wind of the plan through an informant — get to the bombs, the crew is already at Heathrow.Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Recommended 2024 Election updates – Path to victory looks clear for Trump By American Election Day, her son had become a familiar face to Israelis, his image plastered on posters across the country, along with others taken captive that day, and carried through the streets in mass protests.Ann Scott Tyson, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Nov. 2024
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One of the main tactics of the Goyim Defense League, which has been designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, is to plaster a particular neighborhood with flyers and posters featuring extremely antisemitic language and imagery.David Gilbert, WIRED, 10 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Millions more cram the sidewalks to clap, bang drums, and wave sardonic homemade signs.Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 9 Nov. 2024
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Detroit Pistons team owner Tom Gores claps during the press conference on July 30, 2021 at the Pistons Performance Center in Detroit, Michigan.Michael Ozanian, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Dab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dab. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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