1
as in to stain
to make dirty
a tablecloth daubed with too many spills to ignore any longer
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to smear
to rub an oily or sticky substance over
he begins his nightly transformation into a circus clown by daubing greasepaint on his face
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in drawing
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of daub
John Hopewell, Variety, 19 June 2025
On the front steps, insults daubed in spray paint were directed at both Mayor Karen Bass and President Trump.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2024
One church staffer presses a Bible to her forehead while another daubs her stomach with a pocket-size vial of holy oil.
—Sam Kestenbaum, Harper's Magazine, 21 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for daub
Verb
In another, an audience get to its feet to applaud a famed film director who’s accepting a prize at an awards gala, his face daubed in Indigenous face paint style.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 19 June 2025
On the front steps, insults daubed in spray paint were directed at both Mayor Karen Bass and President Trump.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
Noun
After another row or two, Daignault’s canvases become increasingly abstract, finally dissolving into blurred daubs of color against black fields.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2024
One church staffer presses a Bible to her forehead while another daubs her stomach with a pocket-size vial of holy oil.
—Sam Kestenbaum, Harper's Magazine, 21 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for daub
Recent Examples of Synonyms for daub
Verb
-
The most popular American sport, long recession-proof, forever immune to greed’s side effects, is prepared to stain its legacy.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The fossils become smooth, rounded and mineral-stained from their time underwater, a process that also complicates efforts to date them precisely.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Clearly, the presence of sugar was no deterrent, as the dog appeared to have enthusiastically investigated the fallen bag, emerging with powdered evidence smeared across his face.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said a man hurled pages of the Quran and smeared feces on the door of the mosque.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In the event this Promotion is cancelled or terminated, pursuant to subparagraph (iii) or (iv), Sponsor, in its sole discretion, may elect to hold a random drawing from among all eligible entries received up to the date of discontinuance for any or all of the prizes offered herein.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
-
All prize claims must be submitted within 180 days of the drawing date for draw games.—
Chris Sims,
IndyStar,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Oil rushed through the sediment and rock and blackened the water.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
My father’s thumb was huge and blackened.—
Kate Crane,
Rolling Stone,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The student section held up a cardboard cutout of Johnson painted with a clown face.—
Sean Hammond,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Her long nails were painted cherry red to match the bandana, and her signature blonde hair was worn down in her usual style.—
Juliana Ukiomogbe,
InStyle,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The world demanded a simplified portrait; John provided it, and, after a while, the two merged.—
Jeffrey Eugenides,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Rector Simon Mainwaring poses for a portrait in the library at Egleston Hall at All Saints' Episcopal Church in Atlanta on Monday, March 23, 2026.—
Zachary Hansen,
AJC.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But as filming continued, Pidgeon appeared to dirty her butter blond with caramel and chocolate shades similar to Bessette-Kennedy’s, thanks to stylist Kari Hill.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
25 Feb. 2026
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With the help of your Instant Pot, spaghetti and meatballs come together in under an hour without dirtying multiple dishes.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The sun is shining brighter, our days are a little longer, and the pollen is coating things as far as the eye can see.—
Joy Harden Bradford,
AJC.com,
2 Apr. 2026
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These items are coated with Teflon, a material that blocks UV rays and is of best use in warm weather climates.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Daub.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/daub. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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