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
Relevance
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
In addition to the outfits of the characters in her famous self-portraits, American artist Cindy Sherman is also a dab hand at finds for herself.
—
Lily Templeton, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019
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
In addition to the outfits of the characters in her famous self-portraits, American artist Cindy Sherman is also a dab hand at finds for herself.
—Lily Templeton, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019
Van Norden, a dab hand with Shakespeare, is a natural for Shaw.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2024
Benedict, meanwhile, is an expert colorist, a dab hand with print who knows all about decorative drama.
—Grace McCloud, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2023
Zach is a dab hand at herbal knockout potions and the occasional amateur amputation, and there’s a scene featuring the latter in which Wheatley indulges his twin tastes for deadpan comedy and head-on gross-outs to the extreme.
—BostonGlobe.com, 14 Apr. 2021
Sarah, a dab hand at deflecting sexism and maintaining her professional composure, takes the microphone and expresses her excitement at being on board.
—Justin Chang Film Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2020
That, perhaps, is a little less in the bag, but the Kremlin’s operatives are dab hands at suppressing protests and neutering the press.
—The Economist, 12 Mar. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dab hand
Noun
-
Here’s what the experts have to say about why grief shows up in the body and how to cope with it.—
-
All the fashion experts—including Hailey Bieber—have surrendered to their charm.—
Noun
-
But the ability to navigate this uncertainty depends on high-quality, accurate data—particularly supplier master data—which is easier said than done.—
-
According to a press statement from the HBCU, graduates from the university’s 14 schools and colleges this year will be among the largest graduating classes in the institution’s history to receive bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in various disciplines.—
Noun
-
Møller had an initial career as a literary scholar, then spent many years as a politician, and is now back to writing.—
-
Wine scholars among us will recognize this as a mix of red and white grapes, with white allowed only in very small amounts.—
Noun
-
Slot shares this staple of Tottenham counterpart Ange Postecoglou’s attacking principles, with Porro adept at tucking inside to disrupt the opposition shape.—
-
The result is that just these English words, representing just this original document, make for a new and somewhat undiscovered book, even to Marxist adepts.—
Noun
-
Hashing things out with his tech wizard brother-in-law Maury (a shaggy Guy Pearce), Karsh wonders if ecological protesters or religious groups or competitors are upset with his global expansion plans, which include a lava field in Iceland.—
-
In a fantastic fairy kingdom, a young outcast named Lala challenges an oppressive wizard to restore harmony between fairies and humans.—
Noun
-
Bud & Rita dispensaries are featuring a variety of special events this week, including psychics, caricature artists, glassblowing and ashtray painting.—
-
Undergirding the performance’s raw, primal energy was choreography by Parris Goebel, the artist, dancer, and all-around creative force.—
Noun
-
From there, the brothers rope in a boozy harmonica virtuoso named Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo), who only accepts the gig after the brothers agree to pay him in Irish beer.—
-
Throughout, he’s depicted as an anxious man with big feelings, a musical virtuoso whose shame, self-esteem and addiction issues were spawned as a young child bearing witness to domestic disputes.—
Noun
-
The alien ‘guru’ of Ashram Shambala A mechanical engineering graduate turned religious leader, Rudnev founded the Ashram Shambala religious group in 1989.—
-
Being mentored by Carr and having an offensive guru in Kellen Moore as a head coach could help elevate Sanders' game.—
Cite this Entry
“Dab hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dab%20hand. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share