1
a
: mop
especially
: a yarn mop
b(1)
: a wad of absorbent material usually wound around one end of a small stick and used especially for applying medication or for removing material from an area
(2)
: a specimen taken with a swab
c
: a sponge or cloth patch attached to a long handle and used to clean the bore of a firearm
swabbed; swabbing
1
: to clean with or as if with a swab
2
: to apply medication to with a swab
swabbed the wound with iodine
Synonyms
Examples of swab in a Sentence
Noun
Use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol to disinfect the area.
The doctor took a throat swab and sent it to the lab.
Verb
The nurse swabbed the cut with a disinfectant.
Recent Examples on the Web
Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 30 Jan. 2025
During the original investigation, the Chesterfield Police Department used DNA testing technology on a piece of paper with red stains, a swab of a red stain from the microwave, and a piece of paper towel with red stains from the top of a sink.
—Nicolás Viñuela, NBC News, 5 Jan. 2025
Sara Netzley, EW.com, 26 Nov. 2024
And all that blood on Edgar's face that MacDonough swabbed and had tested?
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 4 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for swab 
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Noun
Williams then returned to the RFG worksite to clean up and collect tools, while Wilmore used swabs to collect potential samples of microbial life on the outside of the airlock.
—Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 30 Jan. 2025
During the original investigation, the Chesterfield Police Department used DNA testing technology on a piece of paper with red stains, a swab of a red stain from the microwave, and a piece of paper towel with red stains from the top of a sink.
—Nicolás Viñuela, NBC News, 5 Jan. 2025
Verb
Carla Marino calls her kidnapper henchmen and instructs them to swab April-turned-Melinda's cheek for DNA.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 26 Nov. 2024
And all that blood on Edgar's face that MacDonough swabbed and had tested?
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 4 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for swab
Dictionary Entries Near swab
Cite this Entry
“Swab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swab. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
swab
1 of 2 noun1
b
: a wad of absorbent material usually wound around one end of a small stick and used especially for applying medicine or for removing material (as from a wound)
also
: a sample taken with a swab
2
: sailor
swab
2 of 2 verb
swabbed; swabbing
: to use a swab on
Medical Definition
swab
1 of 2 noun1
: a wad of absorbent material usually wound around one end of a small stick and used for applying medication or for removing material from an area
2
: a specimen taken with a swab
a throat swab
swab
2 of 2 transitive verb
swabbed; swabbing
: to apply medication to with a swab
swabbed the wound with iodine
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