1
: a thick plate or slice (as of stone, wood, or bread): such as
a
: the outside piece cut from a log in squaring it
b
: concrete pavement (as of a road)
specifically
: a strip of concrete pavement laid as a single unjointed piece
c(1)
: a flat rectangular architectural element that is usually formed of a single piece or mass
a concrete foundation slab
(2)
: a rectangular building having little width with respect to its length and usually height
2
: something that resembles a slab (as in size, shape, or density)
backed up by a solid slab of reference material—
The Times Literary Supplement (London)
The Times Literary Supplement (London)3
: a hard plastic holder for a collectible coin and an identifying insert
slabbed; slabbing
1
a
: to remove an outer slab from
slab a log
b
: to divide or form into slabs
2
: to cover or support (something, such as a roadbed or roof) with slabs
3
: to put on thickly
Examples of slab in a Sentence
Noun
a thick slab of homemade bread
Recent Examples on the WebAndrew Maerkle, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2024
These are continent-sized slabs of rock that glide over the planet’s mantle, constantly but very slowly reshaping the Earth’s landscape.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
The wooden prop used in the film has long been the subject of fan debate over whether DiCaprio and Winslet's characters could have both stayed afloat on top of the slab of wood.
—Tommy McArdle, Peoplemag, 25 Mar. 2024
Driving through, the landscape is dominated by blank concrete slabs where the hurricanes have ripped dozens of structures from their foundations.
—Nidhi Sharma, NBC News, 18 Mar. 2024
When hit with pulses of electricity, these slabs expand and contract and generate high-frequency ultrasound waves that bounce around within them.
—IEEE Spectrum, 17 Mar. 2024
Each piece owes a debt to the raw splendor of George Nakashima’s original slab coffee tables.
—Evan Moffitt, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
His business, Natural Edge, sells art and furniture made from reclaimed wood slabs imported from Fiji.
—Jacqueline Weiss, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024
Conventional ultrasound probes contain transducer arrays made from slabs of piezoelectric crystals or ceramics such as lead zirconium titanate (PZT).
—IEEE Spectrum, 17 Mar. 2024
Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 3 Apr. 2024
Upgrading your vehicle doesn’t always have to mean slabbing on a fresh coat of paint.
—Stack Commerce, Popular Science, 1 Nov. 2023
The project includes replacing portions of aging concrete on the bridge deck, or the driving surface, as well as the approach slabs to each end of the bridge.
—Kristina Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2023
Caltrans will proactively be replacing portions of aging concrete on the bridge deck — the driving surface for cars — as well as the approach slabs to the bridge.
—Emily Alvarenga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Sep. 2023
Slabhead was slabbing his head against every ball that came within his orbit, with Tammy Abraham duly confirming to the gravitational pull of his pocket.
—SI.com, 12 Aug. 2019
Brazil, which primarily exports slab steel to US manufacturers, is hoping to escape by agreeing on limited quotas for more sophisticated products.
—Jack Ewing and Ana Swanson, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Apr. 2018
Brazil, which primarily exports slab steel to American manufacturers, is hoping to escape by agreeing on limited quotas for more sophisticated products.
—Jack Ewing and Ana Swanson, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2018
Wipers can be found in the same areas trolling crankbaits, slabbing, or using live bait.
—Tyler Mahoney, kansascity, 14 Mar. 2018
Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 14 July 2022
Somehow, the Grand Wagoneer's slab-sided body makes 22-inch wheels look tiny.
—Ezra Dyer, Car and Driver, 15 June 2022
As for slab phones, Motorola did not release a flagship Snapdragon 888 phone in the US last year.
—Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, 30 Mar. 2022
Using a slab roller that was originally designed for potters was the nemesis of several workers.
—Denise Brodey, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2021
Like, the uppercase T had a spike serif on the bottom and slab serifs on the top.
—Diana Budds, Curbed, 13 Oct. 2021
As for style, Blackband says to look at slab-panel cabinetry, which features a flat door over the cabinet box and lends a modern but classic look.
—Lindsey M. Roberts Special To The Washington Post, Star Tribune, 29 Apr. 2021
Noun
Ando sculpts intricate yet airy interiors, enlivened by dramatic voids or unexpected lightwells, out of slabs of concrete.
—Andrew Maerkle, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2024
These are continent-sized slabs of rock that glide over the planet’s mantle, constantly but very slowly reshaping the Earth’s landscape.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
The wooden prop used in the film has long been the subject of fan debate over whether DiCaprio and Winslet's characters could have both stayed afloat on top of the slab of wood.
—Tommy McArdle, Peoplemag, 25 Mar. 2024
Driving through, the landscape is dominated by blank concrete slabs where the hurricanes have ripped dozens of structures from their foundations.
—Nidhi Sharma, NBC News, 18 Mar. 2024
When hit with pulses of electricity, these slabs expand and contract and generate high-frequency ultrasound waves that bounce around within them.
—IEEE Spectrum, 17 Mar. 2024
Each piece owes a debt to the raw splendor of George Nakashima’s original slab coffee tables.
—Evan Moffitt, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
His business, Natural Edge, sells art and furniture made from reclaimed wood slabs imported from Fiji.
—Jacqueline Weiss, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024
Conventional ultrasound probes contain transducer arrays made from slabs of piezoelectric crystals or ceramics such as lead zirconium titanate (PZT).
—IEEE Spectrum, 17 Mar. 2024
Verb
The wall slabs behind them do appear to be similar!
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 3 Apr. 2024
Upgrading your vehicle doesn’t always have to mean slabbing on a fresh coat of paint.
—Stack Commerce, Popular Science, 1 Nov. 2023
The project includes replacing portions of aging concrete on the bridge deck, or the driving surface, as well as the approach slabs to each end of the bridge.
—Kristina Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2023
Caltrans will proactively be replacing portions of aging concrete on the bridge deck — the driving surface for cars — as well as the approach slabs to the bridge.
—Emily Alvarenga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Sep. 2023
Slabhead was slabbing his head against every ball that came within his orbit, with Tammy Abraham duly confirming to the gravitational pull of his pocket.
—SI.com, 12 Aug. 2019
Brazil, which primarily exports slab steel to US manufacturers, is hoping to escape by agreeing on limited quotas for more sophisticated products.
—Jack Ewing and Ana Swanson, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Apr. 2018
Brazil, which primarily exports slab steel to American manufacturers, is hoping to escape by agreeing on limited quotas for more sophisticated products.
—Jack Ewing and Ana Swanson, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2018
Wipers can be found in the same areas trolling crankbaits, slabbing, or using live bait.
—Tyler Mahoney, kansascity, 14 Mar. 2018
Adjective
Everything’s made in-house, from the 12 rotating ice cream flavors, including a peanut butter, bacon and banana flavor made with chopped bacon, to cupcakes, slab pies, muffins and coffee cakes.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 14 July 2022
Somehow, the Grand Wagoneer's slab-sided body makes 22-inch wheels look tiny.
—Ezra Dyer, Car and Driver, 15 June 2022
As for slab phones, Motorola did not release a flagship Snapdragon 888 phone in the US last year.
—Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, 30 Mar. 2022
Using a slab roller that was originally designed for potters was the nemesis of several workers.
—Denise Brodey, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2021
Like, the uppercase T had a spike serif on the bottom and slab serifs on the top.
—Diana Budds, Curbed, 13 Oct. 2021
As for style, Blackband says to look at slab-panel cabinetry, which features a flat door over the cabinet box and lends a modern but classic look.
—Lindsey M. Roberts Special To The Washington Post, Star Tribune, 29 Apr. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'slab.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near slab
Cite this Entry
“Slab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slab. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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