as in expert
a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field
a British mystery writer who's an undisputed dab hand at building suspense
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Recent Examples of dab hand
In addition to the outfits of the characters in her famous self-portraits, American artist Cindy Sherman is also a dab hand at finds for herself.
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Lily Templeton, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019
Van Norden, a dab hand with Shakespeare, is a natural for Shaw.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2024
Benedict, meanwhile, is an expert colorist, a dab hand with print who knows all about decorative drama.
—Grace McCloud, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2023
Zach is a dab hand at herbal knockout potions and the occasional amateur amputation, and there’s a scene featuring the latter in which Wheatley indulges his twin tastes for deadpan comedy and head-on gross-outs to the extreme.
—BostonGlobe.com, 14 Apr. 2021
Sarah, a dab hand at deflecting sexism and maintaining her professional composure, takes the microphone and expresses her excitement at being on board.
—Justin Chang Film Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2020
That, perhaps, is a little less in the bag, but the Kremlin’s operatives are dab hands at suppressing protests and neutering the press.
—The Economist, 12 Mar. 2020
This is a very different approach to sister-in-law Kate Middleton, and Harry’s older brother, Prince William, who have so far welcomed three royal babies into the world, and are kind of a dab hand at the whole thing.
—Lucy Wood, Marie Claire, 11 Apr. 2019
The returning characters include Lucius Best/Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) and steely, brilliant Edna Mode (voiced by director Bird), who turns out to be a dab hand at babysitting the literal fireball Jack-Jack.
—Michael Phillips, chicagotribune.com, 11 June 2018
Lily Templeton, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019
Van Norden, a dab hand with Shakespeare, is a natural for Shaw.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2024
Benedict, meanwhile, is an expert colorist, a dab hand with print who knows all about decorative drama.
—Grace McCloud, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2023
Zach is a dab hand at herbal knockout potions and the occasional amateur amputation, and there’s a scene featuring the latter in which Wheatley indulges his twin tastes for deadpan comedy and head-on gross-outs to the extreme.
—BostonGlobe.com, 14 Apr. 2021
Sarah, a dab hand at deflecting sexism and maintaining her professional composure, takes the microphone and expresses her excitement at being on board.
—Justin Chang Film Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2020
That, perhaps, is a little less in the bag, but the Kremlin’s operatives are dab hands at suppressing protests and neutering the press.
—The Economist, 12 Mar. 2020
This is a very different approach to sister-in-law Kate Middleton, and Harry’s older brother, Prince William, who have so far welcomed three royal babies into the world, and are kind of a dab hand at the whole thing.
—Lucy Wood, Marie Claire, 11 Apr. 2019
The returning characters include Lucius Best/Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) and steely, brilliant Edna Mode (voiced by director Bird), who turns out to be a dab hand at babysitting the literal fireball Jack-Jack.
—Michael Phillips, chicagotribune.com, 11 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dab hand
Noun
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For 60 years running, its jury of experts has picked the most stunning shots to win and earn accolades.Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2025
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Legal experts stress the importance of maintaining public confidence in the judicial process while balancing the operational needs of the presidency.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Most of The Row’s handbags skip the flash of any hardware, but this rare jewel masters the art of glamorous ease with its metal fastening.Alexis Bennett Parker, Vogue, 7 Jan. 2025
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Wright holds a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree in emergency management and homeland security and is a graduate of the School of Police Staff and Command at Northwestern University in Illinois.Tom Sissom, arkansasonline.com, 7 Jan. 2025
Noun
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As technology improves and allows better reading of the manuscript, scholars continue to debate the content of the document and how the fragments should be put together in the hopes of gaining even more insight into Hellenic religion and philosophy of the time.Teresa Nowakowski, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Jan. 2025
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Michael Wara, an energy and climate scholar at Stanford University, said the state’s entire insurance landscape, not just the California’s wildfire fund, might have to be recalibrated if a utility company were found to have caused a major L.A. fire.Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Around him, dense as a swarm of tiny insects, float tiny images of fellow adepts engaged in all manner of outré shenanigans.Holland Cotter, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
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Naomi Goggin Switch to island time—and expect transportation snafus Even with two planners, and a bride adept at project management, there was one logistical hurdle that was tough to cross: local transportation.Kaitlin Menza, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The 38-year-old offensive wizard led the No. 1 scoring offense in the NFL during the regular season at 33.2 points per game.Vincent Frank, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
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The software's setup wizard asks about income first and then moves on to credits, deductions, and taxes.PCMAG, PCMAG, 2 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Headlining the event is Faye Toogood, the multidisciplinary British artist who has been named M&O Designer of the Year 2025.Kissa Castaneda, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025
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Gordy was hesitant to let artists try to send a message with their music.Teresa Nowakowski, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Jan. 2025
Noun
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In today's job market, choosing between being a virtuoso or polymath is like choosing between a chef's knife and a Swiss Army knife - one perfectly crafted for a specific purpose, the other ready for anything.Ann Kirschner, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
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Zakir Hussain, virtuoso of the tabla instrument and a towering figure in Indian classical music, died on Dec. 15 of chronic lung disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, at a hospital in San Francisco.Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Hairstylist Kevin Kelly and makeup guru Darian Marie Horn gave Rachel a glam look, her dark locks pulled back in a relaxed updo with flowing waves and her cheeks and lips kissed with the softest of pinks.Dave Quinn, People.com, 6 Jan. 2025
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And while some fans and film gurus will say the offense looked better under interim coordinator Scott Turner and his father Norv, the facts are the facts: The Raiders averaged 17.9 points in nine games with Getsy and 17.6 in eight games with Turner, who had a healthier offensive line.Vic Tafur, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near dab hand
Cite this Entry
“Dab hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dab%20hand. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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