jab

American  

[jab] / dʒæb /

verb (used with object)

• jabs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• jabbed,
  past participle,  past
• jabbing
  present participle

1. to poke, or thrust abruptly or sharply, as with the end or point of a stick or with the finger or elbow.

2. to punch with a short, quick blow.

3. Informal. to give (a person) a hypodermic injection, especially of a vaccine: I jab myself with insulin twice a day.

   Here’s a list of the countries you can visit if you haven’t been jabbed.

   I jab myself with insulin twice a day.

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verb (used without object)

• jabs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• jabbed,
  past participle,  past
• jabbing
  present participle

1. to poke or punch with a sharp, quick blow.

noun

• jabs
  plural

1. a poke with the end or point of something; a sharp, quick thrust.

2. a short, quick punch.

3. Informal. a hypodermic injection, especially of a vaccine.

   Have you gotten your flu jab yet?

4. Informal. an abrupt insult or critical remark.

   That guy has no problem responding with a sarcastic jab.

5. a sudden and unpleasant sensation or emotion: He knew she was happier now, but he still felt the slightest jab of guilt.

   I have jabs of pain, numbness, and tingling in my fingers.

   He knew she was happier now, but he still felt the slightest jab of guilt.

jab British  

/ dʒæb /

verb

1. to poke or thrust sharply

2. to strike with a quick short blow or blows

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noun

1. a sharp poke or stab

2. a quick short blow, esp (in boxing) a straight punch with the leading hand

3. informal an injection

   polio jabs

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• jabbing
  adjective
• jabbingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• jabs
  plural

Participles

• jabbing
  present
• jabbed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• jab
  simple
• jabs
  simple
• have jabbed
  perfect
• has jabbed
  perfect
• am jabbing
  progressive
• are jabbing
  progressive
• is jabbing
  progressive
• have been jabbing
  perfect progressive
• has been jabbing
  perfect progressive

Past

• jabbed
  simple
• had jabbed
  perfect
• was jabbing
  progressive
• were jabbing
  progressive
• had been jabbing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will jab
  simple
• will have jabbed
  perfect
• will be jabbing
  progressive
• will have been jabbing
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of jab

First recorded in 1825–35; variant, originally Scots, of job ²

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Explanation

When you jab someone, you poke that person. No one on the school bus wants to sit next to the kid who tends to jab people in their ribs with his sharp elbows. You might accidentally jab a man on the elevator with your umbrella, or jab your annoying brother on purpose when he's talking with his mouth full at dinner. Another kind of jab is a quick, sharp punch, especially the kind you make in martial arts. The word comes from the Scottish job, "to strike, pierce, or thrust," which in turn is rooted in the Middle English jobben, "to jab or thrust."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

jab jabs jabbed jabbing

When Jenette Torres Odena's three-year-old son fell ill days after receiving a jab as part of a Philippine vaccination drive, his photograph quickly spread on Facebook alongside claims the inoculation had killed him.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

They didn’t fire Espada, owner Jim Crane said, because he’s “doing what he can do with what he’s got”—a not-so-subtle jab at the Astros’ flawed roster.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

This isn’t a jab at the project — “U” is an incredible album and the song is just that good.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026

This explains Carney’s jab, at his press conference last weekend, that the United States’ signature is sometimes “written in pencil.”

From Slate ● Aug. 26, 2026

I threw another jab, one I knew was a stinger.

From "When I Was the Greatest" by Jason Reynolds

Five told us that they do prescribe the drugs as part of pilot projects which allow a small number of patients to access the jabs on the NHS.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

As if this whole affair weren’t self-satisfied enough, Iñárritu jabs his finger at the audience one last time.

From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2026

ChatGPT peppered these follow-up questions with a few gentle jabs at my own pressure tactics—enough for me to see that my focus on solutions might actually be stressful or uncomfortable for my friend.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026

Prof Ong says he has encountered parents at his clinic who want access to weight-loss jabs - an easier option, perhaps, than getting a child back into school.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

Max jabs at my chest with one daggerlike finger.

From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi

In Germany, parents can be fined if their children aren't jabbed against measles.

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026

Mid-vows, “Madonna jabbed her middle finger upward,” J. Randy Taraborrelli wrote in “Madonna: An Intimate Biography.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026

Both fists — little and big — jabbed the air.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2025

It was also possible that he accidentally jabbed himself, through his gloves, on a needle or a patient’s teeth.

From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2025

Jordan jabbed his finger at Alex as he said it.

From "Eleven" by Tom Rogers

He added: "All we were doing is jabbing sheep day and night. The poor sheep, it was horrendous for them."

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

The artist and buyer were nonconformists, jabbing at, well, something.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 18, 2026

He loved to say it on the stump with his trademark snarl and jabbing finger.

From Salon ● Dec. 11, 2025

One of his trainers was the legendary Eddie Futch, who between lessons in jabbing and ducking told Roach that his best piece of lifetime advice was to “never open your own gym.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 16, 2025

Elliott Schilpp was jabbing in a number, too.

From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein

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