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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
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 21 Nov. 2024
In some cases, Dr. Zeichner says that dryness inside your nose could also disrupt your skin barrier and possibly irritate your zit—which is why adding a bit of hydration (with a small dab of petroleum jelly or a gentle, noncomedogenic cream) can help soothe the spot.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 1 Nov. 2024
Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Dec. 2024
Luna rocked a black and red creepy clown look, while Miles dressed up and dabbed as DJ Marshmello.
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 25 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dab 
Noun
Prepare the Garment for Washing Use a dab of wool wash to pretreat stains.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 21 Nov. 2024
In some cases, Dr. Zeichner says that dryness inside your nose could also disrupt your skin barrier and possibly irritate your zit—which is why adding a bit of hydration (with a small dab of petroleum jelly or a gentle, noncomedogenic cream) can help soothe the spot.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
Upholstery stains can be cleaned by dabbing the area with warm, soapy water.
—Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Dec. 2024
Luna rocked a black and red creepy clown look, while Miles dressed up and dabbed as DJ Marshmello.
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 25 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dab
Verb
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Yet before those convoys even made their way to the capital, Trudeau, his ministers, and their contacts in the media, were conspiring to smear the protesters as violent extremists bent on bringing a January 6 north to Canada.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
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Now this journalist is accused of helping smear the star.Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The structure is still the bits-and-pieces-flow-of-events unfolding over the course of numerous episodes that apparently repelled viewers accustomed to pat network formulas.Gail Williams, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Jan. 2025
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He was seen in good spirits leaving the floor, shaking hands with supporters and patting them on the back.Rachel Raposas, People.com, 14 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The paintings of Mickalene Thomas are big, bold, gaudy, and beautiful, embedded with rhinestones, daubed with phosphorescent color, and composed like crazy quilts.Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2025
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No one apart from the ultras, daubing new withering slogans on bed sheets to be carried into San Siro for the next league game against Cagliari.James Horncastle, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
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In many ways, Coors Field is the blueprint for successful pro sports ownership in the 21st century — a franchise profiting from a venue in a vibrant neighborhood that taps into multiple revenue streams and sustains the entire enterprise year-round.Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post, 6 Jan. 2025
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The most dramatic beauty moment of the night, Stone tapped into a long lineage of iconic Hollywood short hair styles that have become timeless reference photos to take to one’s salon.Ashley Davis, WWD, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Anyone else who made the sandwich for him slathered equal parts peanut butter and jelly.Matt Schneidman, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
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All three Melts are slathered in Stacker Sauce, Burger King's proprietary mayo/ketchup mixture.Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
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But the county’s approach tipped far in the wrong direction, leading to the decline from 60 removals of children from their homes in 2020 to 20 in 2022.Mercury News & East Bay Times editorial, The Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2025
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Someone tipped off deputies after spotting the 31-year old on Sunday, Jan. 12, at a home in Hamilton County, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Stickers plastered around Siana’s drill sites — on which the company’s name is misspelled — provide phone numbers to call in case of leaks or other emergencies.Mark Olalde, ProPublica, 30 Dec. 2024
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Many of the companies advertising in Dodger Stadium now had signage plastered all over Angel Stadium before.Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Bipartisanship was in the air as a few Democrats joined all Republicans in clapping for the reading of Trump’s electoral votes, and Republicans, in turn, clapped politely for Harris’s votes as well.Rachel Schilke, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 6 Jan. 2025
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Green claps along, and is visibly impressed when Freeman hits that signature high note.Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Dab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dab. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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