stab 1 of 2

verb

Definition of stabnext
as in to pierce
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object stabbed the pesky leaf with the tines of the rake

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stab

2 of 2

noun

ˈstab How to pronounce stab (audio)
1
as in puncture
a mark or small hole made by a pointed instrument the injection left a small stab on her upper arm

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2
as in attempt
an effort to do or accomplish something everybody will get a stab at solving the problem

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of stab
Verb
That’s when Stewart allegedly stabbed the driver with a pen multiple times, per the affidavit. — Saleen Martin, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026 An employee was stabbed in a Pavilions parking lot in Sherman Oaks. — City News Service, Daily News, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
The woman appeared to have stab wounds, according to the Rocky Hill Police Department. — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026 The medical examiner’s office determined Snookie had multiple stab wounds and noted she had been nearly decapitated. — Annalise Peterson, NBC news, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stab
  1. pierce
  2. puncture
  3. attempt
  4. jab
  5. punch
  6. try
  7. pick
  8. stick
Verb
  • Still, traces of background radioactivity sometimes break the subterranean silence, with that activity piercing through LZ’s mile of protective bedrock or even seeping out of the materials lining the detector’s walls.
    — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The bullet pierced the restaurant glass and left a diner with a minor injury.
    — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of pierce
Noun
  • Officers looked at the driver and saw six puncture wounds – four on his back, one between his eyes and one on the left side of his neck.
    — Saleen Martin, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Patients should put any items in a leak-proof, puncture-resistant container, such as a laundry detergent bottle.
    — Noelle Lilley, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of puncture
Noun
  • Shein's Hong Kong debut comes after earlier attempts to go public in New York and London did not materialize.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Smith hit the next pitch to right field, just out of the reach of a diving attempt by Braden Montgomery for a triple.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of attempt
Verb
  • To explain this thinking, Lee jabs the New York Mets amid their disappointing MLB season.
    — Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • In historical terms, this drought is far from their longest, but no team has won the Premier League more times than them (13), and limbo jabs at a leviathan.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of jab
Noun
  • This warm and spicy perfume is the perfect transitional scent for the season, with a fruity punch that still feels fresh enough for late summer.
    — Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Mazda has a reputation for making affordable cars that still pack a punch, and the Mazda3 is no exception.
    — Keith Laing, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of punch
Noun
  • By default, these devices mark the wearer not only as a geek, but as a try-hard and an egoist.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
  • All that said, Vedder didn’t completely nail it on his first try.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of try
Verb
  • Allergists recommend bypassing diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and instead, picking your favorite nonsedating antihistamine pill, like fexofenadine (Allegra), loratadine (Claritin) or cetirizine (Zyrtec), according to the World Allergy Organization.
    — Dr. Jill Grimes, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • For some Donalds supporters, like 56-year-old Cushing from Aventura, the choice to pick a Cuban American as lieutenant governor did signal a bigger change in the Republican Party and was worth highlighting.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of pick
Verb
  • After being stuck open in the rain, fans cheered when the roof closed.
    — Rebecca Tauber, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Those drivers’ days (and lives) were rattled far more than those stuck in the backup behind them.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of stick

Phrases Containing stab

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squooshy
stab
stabbed
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Cite this Entry

“Stab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stab. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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