stab

1 of 2

noun

ˈstab 
Synonyms of stab
1
: a wound produced by a pointed object or weapon
2
a
: a thrust of a pointed weapon
b
: a jerky thrust
3
: effort, try
I'll take a stab at it.
4
: a sudden sharp feeling
stabs of regret

stab

2 of 2

verb

stabbed; stabbing

transitive verb

1
: to wound or pierce by the thrust of a pointed object or weapon
2
: thrust, drive

intransitive verb

: to thrust or give a wound with or as if with a pointed weapon
stabber noun
see also:
stab in the back

Synonyms of stab

Relevance

Noun

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of stab in a Sentence

Noun the injection left a small stab on her upper arm everybody will get a stab at solving the problem Verb He stabbed her with a dagger. The victim was stabbed in the chest five times.
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Noun
The victim suffered at least one stab wound to the upper body and remained in critical condition at a hospital, Wells said. — Nathaniel Percy, Oc Register, 24 Aug. 2026 The woman appeared to have stab wounds, according to the Rocky Hill Police Department. — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026
Verb
While at the scene, they were notified by BART police that a third stabbing victim had been found near the Fruitvale station. — Jason Green, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026 Anthony, now 19, was convicted of murder in June and sentenced to 35 years in prison for fatally stabbing Austin during an altercation at a track meet in Frisco, Texas, in April 2025. — ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stab

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English stabbe

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stab was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing stab

Rhymes for stab

See All Rhymes for stab

Browse Nearby Words

staatenbund
stab
Stabat Mater
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stab. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

stab

1 of 2 noun
ˈstab 
1
: a wound produced by a pointed object or weapon
2
: a thrust of a pointed weapon
3
: effort sense 2, try
I'll take a stab at it

stab

2 of 2 verb
stabbed; stabbing
1
: to wound or pierce by the thrust of a pointed object or weapon
2
: thrust entry 1 sense 1, drive
stabber noun

Medical Definition

stab

1 of 2 noun
ˈstab 
1
: a wound produced by a pointed object or weapon
2
a
: a culture medium solidified in an upright column in a tube to reduce the surface to a minimum compare slant
b
: stab culture

stab

2 of 2 transitive verb
stabbed; stabbing
: to wound or pierce by the thrust of a pointed object or weapon
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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