dabbing

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“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

And finally a grinning Dafydd Jenkins grabbed a fistful of Chessum's shirt, pulling it up over the England lock's mouth like a parent dabbing at a toddler's grubby face.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2025

We moved on through the line and joined the others squatting in the lee of half-raised walls, dabbing courteously at what was, for almost everyone there, an inedible concoction.

From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston