Synonyms for swab

All synonyms

Noun

Verb

Definitions

1. n. 1

   A small piece of soft, absorbent material, such as gauze, used to clean wounds, apply medicine, or take samples of body fluids. Often attached to a stick or wire to aid access.

2. v. 1

   To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab.

Related words

Phrases

cotton swab

Other spellings

swob

Forms

Plural

swabs → mops, sailors, swabbies…

Past participle

swabbed
e.g. swabbed → wiped, dabbed…

Popularity over time

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters

mop¹, dab¹

4 letters

wipe¹

6 letters

sailor², swabby

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (sailor² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français

écouvillon

Italiano

tampone

Deutsch

Wattestäbchen