1
as in to stain
to make dirty
a tablecloth daubed with too many spills to ignore any longer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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 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.
—Noun
After another row or two, Daignault’s canvases become increasingly abstract, finally dissolving into blurred daubs of color against black fields.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for daub
Verb
-
This mixture attacks stains a bit stronger than the water solution.—
-
While new doors can cost anywhere from several hundred to thousands of dollars, staining, painting, and weather stripping can be done for under $150, according to O'Reilly.—
Verb
-
Blood was smeared on the hood, roof and rear of the sedan.—
-
Hadid appears beat up with a gash on her arm, dirt on her face, and smeared black eye makeup.—
Noun
-
Zavala, who picked up his ticket for the Veterans Day drawing at the Kwik Star convenience store at 1200 Chatham Ave.—
-
Sticking with Denmark, in the drawing, was not an option, which explains why so many are unable to write this latest Trump tantrum as something that can be ridden out.—
Verb
-
In all, more than 8,000 California wildfires blackened 525,223 acres, killed 31 people and burned 16,512 structures in the past year, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.—
-
While old shoes washing ashore might sound unique, this isn’t the first time that these leather shoes — well-preserved and blackened with time — have been found in the area.—
Verb
-
Pedro had painted the model in bright colors—red, blue, and yellow—and the circular ballet of the trio against the green jungle didn’t feel out of place; rather, the birds seemed to enjoy the homage being paid to them.—
-
Doig is an avid skier and a hockey fan, and often paints alpine scenes.—
Noun
-
Thank you for this role, thank you for believing in me, thank you for this portrait, for your mind, for your worldview.—
-
The new portrait shows the president with his fists on the Resolute Desk, staring directly into the camera.—
Verb
-
When stormwater dirtied by road runoff, failing septic tanks and fertilizer sullied crystal-clear rivers and lakes, and nobody cared.—
-
Keep them in reserve as a sleep sock to ward off icy toes and prevent sweat and skin oils from dirtying your down sleeping bag.—
Verb
-
These wooden utensils are coated in a clear lacquer that protects them and adds a beautiful shine.—
-
The concha is coated in chocolate and drizzled and filled with creamy pistachio, with slices of strawberries tucked inside.—
Cite this Entry
“Daub.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/daub. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
