dab hand

noun

Definition of dab handnext
chiefly British
as in expert
a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field a British mystery writer who's an undisputed dab hand at building suspense

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dab hand All of which curious George, a dab hand at psychological manipulation, coaxes along with the gentlest of nudges. — Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dab hand
  1. expert
  2. master
  3. scholar
  4. adept
  5. wizard
  6. artist
  7. virtuoso
  8. guru
Noun
  • But this should be guided and individualized by the right expert in terms of counseling and determining both the risks and benefits of sports based on the cardiac diagnosis and type of sport engaged in by the athlete.
    — Nicole Williams, AJC.com, 6 July 2026
  • Sandy Baum, an expert in education finance with the Urban Institute, said the new loan limits are unreasonably low, but uncapped borrowing was a real problem and some restrictions are necessary.
    — Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of expert
Noun
  • While theology and ministry studies were designated as nonprofessional, the master of divinity degree often pursued by eventual pastors or ministers does retain professional status.
    — Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • In one mega master in San Antonio, Texas, out of the 175 cases ordered to appear before a judge one morning, about 40 people didn’t show up, said attorney Jessica Smith Bobadilla.
    — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of master
Noun
  • For a quarter century, Jane Calvert has been on a mission shared by few scholars of the Revolutionary War era.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
  • Debate over the World War I-era killings, widely seen by scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century, now collides with international accusations over Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
Definition of scholar
Noun
  • Meanwhile, Alouette has become an adept of dye recipes.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
  • But if the destination is appealing and the driver adept, the journey is bound to be worth taking.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 27 Oct. 2025
Definition of adept
Noun
  • After climbing the Azkaban Escape Tower to the top, repel-style, young wizards-in-training, Clark and Emily Friscia, were ready to go home.
    — Greg Harutunian, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026
  • And two other high-flying AI wizards — Anthropic and OpenAI — are working on their own mega offerings.
    — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 29 June 2026
Definition of wizard
Noun
  • Once all but deserted, the town experienced a revival in 1965, when artists and musicians began to flock there after encouragement from the Yugoslav government.
    — Tia Lovisa Moreira, Travel + Leisure, 2 July 2026
  • Ihm says programming at SparkHouse will include listening sessions, live showcases and even a mentorship program for rising artists.
    — Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of artist
Noun
  • Just two weeks after Bob Dylan guitarist Doug Lancio vanished from the tour and was replaced by jazz virtuoso Julian Lage, Bob Britt — who has played guitar in Dylan’s band since 2019 — has apparently left the group as well.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 29 June 2026
  • He was widely celebrated as a virtuoso who nurtured America’s economic well-being and whose nearly every utterance was parsed for clues as to where interest rates, the economy and the financial markets might be headed.
    — Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 22 June 2026
Definition of virtuoso
Noun
  • His guru, Ramakrishna, was a 19th-century mystic and spiritual teacher in Bengal whose teachings on the unity underlying all religions shaped the worldview Vivekananda would go on to spread globally.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 July 2026
  • After her longtime hair guru found love with White Lotus star Gage, Kardashian appeared more than happy to officiate the pair's black-and-white nuptials, which also included a performance from Shania Twain.
    — Grace Gavilanes, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026
Definition of guru

Browse Nearby Words

dabbling
dab hand
dab hands
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dab hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dab%20hand. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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