swabs 1 of 2

noun

plural of swab
as in sailors
one who operates or navigates a seagoing vessel old swabs swapping sea stories as they spend their last days in the veterans' home

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swabs

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of swab
as in wipes

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Dissimilar Words

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 swabs
Noun
What Michael didn’t say was that, sometime after Star’s hospital visit, the kids’ nose swabs had come back negative for measles. — Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 As with almost all single-chip LCD models, the Boom Air comes with a cleaning kit of swabs on sticks for removing dust specs from the LCD if needed. — M. David Stone, PC Magazine, 22 Aug. 2026 Yet the virus spread undetected for a month because researchers were unable to get permission from a rigid bureaucracy to test the swabs that would have helped identify it. — Jennifer Pahlka, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 Investigators recovered numerous pieces of evidence, including pieces of clothing, fired shell casings, DNA swabs and bullet fragments collected from Cherry’s body, according to the report. — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2026 Addicts could bring their heroin and cocaine to a 13-seat center where staff dispensed needles, swabs, and sterile water to cook the drugs and offered advice on vein maintenance. — Michael Powell, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026 Berk questioned why two chainsaws found in the garage and a third miniature saw discovered inside the house were not collected into evidence after initial chemical swabs tested negative for blood. — Claudia Rosenbaum, Vulture, 28 July 2026 Maybe there will be liquid biopsies (specialized blood tests) or even cheek swabs that can detect breast cancer. — Tara Thomas, Glamour, 10 July 2026 In April, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputies matched Hakim’s DNA with vaginal swabs taken during the rape examination, according to the affidavit. — Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 9 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swabs
  1. sailors
  2. brushes
  3. mariners
  4. rinses
  5. navigators
  6. combs
  7. scrubs
  8. dusts
Noun
  • After nine months at sea, the sailors and Marines of the USS Abraham Lincoln are trading their cargo pants and boots for shorts and flip-flops.
    — Sam Winslade, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Thai officials pitch the stop as rest and recovery and an economic boost for Pattaya, while families like New Jersey mom Shakeira Fairfax finally reunite with sailors after months of anxiety.
    — Sakchai Lalit, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of sailors
Verb
  • Fertitta brushes off the scuffle between his president and Meloni.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
  • During a penumbral eclipse, the moon merely brushes this outer zone and often appears only subtly dimmed.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of brushes
Noun
  • Spanish authorities have issued recommendations for mariners intended to reduce risks to both the animals and people aboard vessels.
    — Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 17 Aug. 2026
  • At one point, up to 20,000 mariners and 2,000 ships were stuck in the Gulf, with only a few vessels squeezing through the strait each day.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 27 July 2026
Definition of mariners
Verb
  • Plus, its self-cleaning function rinses the brushroll after each use and dumps the debris into the dirt tank.
    — Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Moisture is why LaMarita never rinses cauliflower before tucking it into the crisper.
    — Randi Gollin, Martha Stewart, 2 Apr. 2026
Definition of rinses
Noun
  • Insights from Latino caregivers encouraged us to hire bilingual dementia care navigators and include Spanish-language dementia resources.
    — Hillary Lum, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026
  • As our study shows, navigators can streamline outreach tactics and serve as an educational touchpoint to beneficiaries about Medicaid and the redetermination process.
    — Rebecca Myerson, STAT, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of navigators
Verb
  • Another founder, Sheridan Clayborne, built an AI agent that combs the internet for the best credit card and banking deals, netting him thousands of dollars.
    — Margaux MacColl, Vanity Fair, 14 July 2026
  • Zayas also combs through the dark web, a criminal haven on the internet where anonymous threat actors try to cause real-world harm.
    — Heather Abbott, CBS News, 7 June 2026
Definition of combs
Verb
  • The Cece Hand Wash effectively scrubs away dead skin cells, dirt, and grime with a clean, hydrating, antioxidant-rich formula featuring rosella extract and argan oil.
    — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 16 June 2026
  • Prime lips for a perfectly smooth, even application using the 3-in-1 Lip Scrub pen, which gently scrubs away dead skin with super-fine sugar granules and keeps lips hydrated with nourishing shea butter and algae.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 May 2026
Definition of scrubs
Verb
  • Winter is also a wonderful surprise, when soft snow blankets valley trails and dusts the mountaintops.
    — Lisa Kadane, Travel + Leisure, 23 May 2026
  • Snow sometimes dusts the surrounding slopes, melting by afternoon into damp earth as manzanita and mountain lilac begin to flower.
    — Josh Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Definition of dusts

Browse Nearby Words

swabbing
swabs
swaddle
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Cite this Entry

“Swabs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swabs. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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