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
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
Andrew Yockey, The Conversation, 11 Sep. 2025
Such systems mine a vast array of information — texts, calls, payments, flights, video, DNA swabs, mail deliveries, the internet, even water and power use — to unearth individuals deemed suspicious and predict their behavior.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2025
Their roles include collecting personal data, fingerprinting, DNA swabbing and photographing detainees so ICE agents can focus on enforcement.
—Michael Dorgan , Jacqui Heinrich , Liz Friden, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swab
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
New testing tools, like saliva swabs and eye-tracking, are being developed, but are not yet ready for application in real-life scenarios.
—Andrew Yockey, The Conversation, 11 Sep. 2025
Such systems mine a vast array of information — texts, calls, payments, flights, video, DNA swabs, mail deliveries, the internet, even water and power use — to unearth individuals deemed suspicious and predict their behavior.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
Police and animal control officers canvassed the area and swabbed residents’ dogs for DNA samples, CBS News Miami reported.
—Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2025
Their roles include collecting personal data, fingerprinting, DNA swabbing and photographing detainees so ICE agents can focus on enforcement.
—Michael Dorgan , Jacqui Heinrich , Liz Friden, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swab
Cite this Entry
“Swab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swab. Accessed 14 Sep. 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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