1. the action of cleaning or wiping with a swab or cloth
2. the action of taking a sample with a cotton swab for medical testing
Usage: medical

1. present participle of swab: cleaning or wiping with a swab or cloth
2. present participle of swab: taking a sample with a cotton swab
Usage: medical

Examples

• The nurse was swabbing the patient’s arm before the injection.
• Swabbing the deck was part of the sailors’ daily routine.
• The doctor recommended swabbing the wound twice daily.
• She spent the morning swabbing down the kitchen counters.
• The lab technician was swabbing the inside of his cheek for DNA testing.
• Regular swabbing of surfaces helps prevent the spread of germs.
• The swabbing procedure took only a few seconds.