# stabbing

/ˈstæbɪŋ/ (US) · /stˈæbɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stabbing
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a knife attack

noun · CEFR B2

an event where someone is hurt or killed with a knife or a pointed object.

For teachers: an incident involving the act of wounding or killing a person with a pointed weapon, typically a knife.

- The police are investigating a stabbing that happened in the city centre last night.
- Following the fatal stabbing outside the nightclub, local authorities implemented a stricter stop-and-search policy to deter knife crime.

### 2. sharp pain

adjective · CEFR B2

a sudden, sharp, and very strong feeling of pain.

For teachers: describing a sensation of physical or emotional pain that is sudden, acute, and piercing.

- He felt a stabbing pain in his chest and decided to see a doctor.
- The patient described a stabbing sensation in her lower back that intensified whenever she attempted to lift heavy objects.

## Examples

- The police are investigating a stabbing in the city center.
- Witnesses reported a stabbing outside the stadium shortly after the championship game ended.
- The defendant was charged with attempted murder following a stabbing that left the victim in critical condition for several weeks.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.