noun
Uncommon
stabbing
STAB-ihng
Stabbing (noun) means an incident in which someone is stabbed with a weapon. Example: “Police are investigating a stabbing in the city centre.”
noun
1
An incident in which someone is stabbed with a weapon.
"The hospital receives many victims of stabbings."
"A stabbing took place in the alley last night."
"Police are investigating a stabbing in the city centre."
adj
1
Sharp and sudden, especially describing pain.
"She felt a stabbing pain in her lower back."
How to use stabbing
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a knife attack, or a description of sudden, sharp pain.
Common pairings
stabbing pain
fatal stabbing
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like stabbing.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- stabbings
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Police are investigating a _____ in the city centre.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for stabbing
See all rhymes for stabbing →Frequently asked questions
What does “stabbing” mean?
The word “stabbing” means an incident in which someone is stabbed with a weapon. In plain terms, either a knife attack, or a description of sudden, sharp pain.
How do you pronounce “stabbing”?
“Stabbing” is pronounced STAB-ihng (/ˈstæb.ɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “stabbing” in a sentence?
Here is “stabbing” used in a sentence: “Police are investigating a stabbing in the city centre.”
What part of speech is “stabbing”?
Depending on how it is used, “stabbing” can be a noun and an adjective.
Is “stabbing” a common word?
“Stabbing” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “stabbing” have?
“Stabbing” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an incident in which someone is stabbed with a weapon.
What is the difference between a stabbing and a shooting?
A stabbing specifically refers to an incident in which someone is attacked with a bladed or pointed weapon, while a shooting involves a firearm. Both terms describe violent incidents but differ in the type of weapon used.
What does stabbing mean when used to describe pain?
As an adjective, stabbing describes pain that is sharp and sudden, such as a stabbing headache or stabbing chest pain, drawing a comparison to the sudden sharpness of being stabbed with a weapon. This usage is common in medical and everyday descriptions of pain.
Is stabbing used as a noun or an adjective more often in news reporting?
In news reporting, stabbing is most commonly used as a noun to describe the violent incident itself, such as a stabbing that occurred downtown, whereas the adjective sense describing sharp pain appears more often in medical or personal descriptions.
