dab

“He can’t use his hands at all so we also have to dab him with towels. He can’t even scratch his nose.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

Already in her still relatively short career, Elle Fanning has managed to position herself smack dab in the center of these two polarities, the perfect combination of classic Hollywood and new age celebrity.

From Salon ● Jan. 24, 2026

He passed Ponting with a trademark dab through point.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2025

We’re smack dab in the middle of 2010 again.

From Salon ● Feb. 5, 2025

Then he has the audacity to use my grandmother’s dashiki to dab his mouth before collapsing in bliss.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

As she talks, she carefully dabs concealer under her eyes and adds some pink blush and highlighter to her cheeks.

From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026

Martha Stewart doesn't do warts, but Cutler edits a wry irony into the artful coverage she dabs on her blemishes, like her refusal to count her marital infidelity as equivalent to that of her husband.

From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2024

A selection of all white suits, jackets and lace dresses also featured in the spring/summer 2024 collection, as did dabs of leopard print on shiny macs and dresses.

From Reuters ● Sep. 23, 2023

His voice was firm, doling out dabs of sweetness cut with the occasional thrilling yelp.

From New York Times ● Apr. 26, 2023

She twirls her pasta, dabs the corners of her wrinkly mouth with a red napkin.

From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers

In another, a grey-haired woman laid one hand atop the coffin while she dabbed her eyes with a tissue.

From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026

In the rear open kitchen, Manon Fleury turned humble winter produce into memorable dishes: Fried sweet-potato threads mimicked a mini funnel cake, dabbed with loquat jam.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 14, 2026

Jones said as she once again dabbed her moist face with the magical towel.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 11, 2025

Breach hit a line, Zoe Harrison dabbed a kick in behind and Abby Dow chased like fury.

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2025

Penelope whipped out a pocket handkerchief and dabbed the snow off the envelope.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Soon, these glasses would make him double over in laughter when she performed and cried, dabbing her eyes with tissue through the frame.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026

We see through her eyes an assistant dabbing moisturizer on her hand, art installers asking where she wants a large sculpture, a man cleaning her pool who greets her.

From Salon ● Jul. 2, 2026

“He never told anyone what to say,” she said, occasionally dabbing her eyes with a tissue as she spoke.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2025

"You have given him the best birthday gift he could ever have," she said, dabbing away tears and occasionally pausing to collect herself.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2025

Celia was hovering near him, dabbing at his cut lip with a wet washcloth.

From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon