dab

For the last few days, smack dab in the middle of his long-awaited breakthrough at USC, Arenas was sick.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2026

It’s smack dab in the middle of the migration routes for the Round Valley and Casa Diablo herds, according to a recent study.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 10, 2025

Everyone’s favorite analog diarist is smack dab in the middle of a universe ruled by tech.

From Salon ● Feb. 13, 2025

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

From Salon ● Feb. 5, 2025

Walking home, she would dab her nose and wipe her eyes and laugh all over again.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

Sand dabs and halibut, still edible and plentiful there, were held in a net slung under the hull and served moments later.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2025

Both men pushed through the covers, Root played his trademark dabs to third man.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2025

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

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

From New York Times ● Apr. 26, 2023

I stand, uncommunicative and stiff, a mannequin, as my prep team dresses me, does my hair, and dabs makeup on my face.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

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

Afterwards Nawat appeared at a press conference wearing a tuxedo and openly weeping as he theatrically dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief, claiming he had been "betrayed".

From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2025

He frequently dabbed at the eye and found it difficult to match Rodriguez's pace.

From BBC ● Jun. 21, 2025

Kingston and his mother dabbed away tears as the verdict came down, according to NBC News.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 31, 2025

I pretended not to notice that he dabbed at his eyes, too.

From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson

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

When she’s asked to imagine her life after “Hacks,” Einbinder’s face suddenly turns pink, a folded tissue appears, and she’s dabbing away tears.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2025

Then, once she’d finished quietly dabbing away tears, I would ply her with questions.

From "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs