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Glite Dictionary
to jab at

to jab at

9 6.4
To make a short teasing or critical comment about someone
  • phrasal verb
  • /dʒæb æt/
  • Informal
translation icon : burlarse de
  • I think he should focus on his company's problems first rather than take jabs at Amazon.
  • take jabs at
  • subtle jab at
  • sharp jabs at

Always the narcissists will switch up their tactics and they're going to start poking at you and jabbing at you.

Examples

  • I initially thought it was a satirical jab at Creationists like me.

    Blog text (3)

  • A few weeks ago, I took a jab at Google for diluting their brand.

    Blog text (6)

  • I was making a jab at their maturity by comparing them to kids.

    Blog text (3)

  • Yes, they will take jabs at Android and then adopt its features in the same breath.

  • I took it as a tongue-in-cheek jab at the rich guy.

    Blog text (3)

  • Eco never misses an opportunity to take a Marxist jab at any topic he chooses to examine.

    Blog text (5)

  • You've never been hostile, but you do frequently insert tongue-in-cheek jabs at various people, making fun of their contradictions.

    Blog text (17)

  • Nokia's Doug Dawson has been all over Twitter today making some gentle jabs at Samsung.

    Blog text (27)

  • Leach didn't say much, opting to take a subtle jab at Wilson while praising his players' effort.

    Blog text (25)

  • The comedian made a quick jab at the politician's questionable decisions during his routine.

Synonyms

to joke about
vsto jab at
80 2.9

Say something funny, often unkind, about someone or something

is more pointed and often sharper rather than purely humorous
to poke fun
vsto jab at
  • Offensive
25 3.9

To make jokes about someone to make them look silly

is a brief pointed comment rather than extended ridicule
to poke fun at
vsto jab at
  • Offensive
23 3.4

To make jokes about someone, sometimes to be playful and sometimes to be unkind

is a quicker, more pointed critical or teasing remark than playful joking
to needle
vsto jab at
8 7.7

To annoy someone by teasing them repeatedly

is a quick single jab rather than ongoing provocation
to snark
vsto jab at
  • Specialized
4 8.4

To make sarcastic mocking remarks that are often rude

is more simply short and pointed rather than broadly sarcastic
to take potshots at
vsto jab at
  • Offensive
4 8.1

To make quick, unfair critical remarks about someone or their ideas

is quicker and more pointed rather than casually unfair
to bust on
vsto jab at
  • Informal
1 8.1

To tease someone in a playful way

is sharper and more pointed than casual playful teasing
to bust someone's chops
vsto jab at
  • Informal
1 9.0

To tease or nag someone, often in a playful way

is more of a quick pointed tease rather than ongoing nagging
to take a sideswipe at
vsto jab at
  • Offensive
8.1

To make a short indirect critical remark about someone

is a brief pointed critical or teasing remark rather than indirect

Antonyms

praise
161 1.0

Words or actions that show admiration for someone

How Critical

attack
548 3.2
to criticize
701 3.3
to mock
  • Offensive
209 3.4
to jab at
  • Informal
9 6.4
tease
17 4.0

Surface Forms

jab at infinitive
jabbed at past
jabbed at past participle
jabbing at present participle
jabs at third person singular

Morphology

jab + at

The meaning is a metaphorical extension of 'jab' (to poke) with 'at' marking the target: a quick, pointed verbal 'poke' or criticism. This linkage is inferable from the constituents but requires a figurative leap that may not be fully predictable to a B1 learner without prior exposure.

Etymology

The phrasal verb jab at comes from the idea of a quick, sharp poke, a small jab. That picture helps: a short poke feels like a short, pointed comment, so jab at now means 'to make a critical or teasing remark'.