tabbed

Meanings

1. 1adjectivebefore a noun

   Having tabs, such as small labeled projections on dividers or separate pages in one window on a screen.

   Grammar: Almost always comes before a noun: a tabbed browser, tabbed dividers.

   I keep my notes in a tabbed binder with a color for each subject.

   Most people now use a tabbed browser instead of opening many windows.

   The settings screen is tabbed, so each category has its own page.

2. 2verbtransitive or intransitiveinformal

   Past form of tab: moved between fields or elements by pressing the Tab key, or attached tabs to something.

   Grammar: Used without an object for moving (she tabbed over) and with an object for attaching tabs (he tabbed the pages).

   Patterns

   • tab over to something
   • tab through something

   She tabbed over to the next field and kept typing.

   He tabbed the important pages with small sticky flags.

   I tabbed through the form to check each box.

Common combinations

tabbed browser

A tabbed browser lets you keep dozens of pages open at once.

tabbed interface

The tabbed interface made the app easy to navigate.

tabbed divider

She slid a tabbed divider between the two sections.

tabbed over

He tabbed over to the email window.

Synonyms and how they differ

labeled

Labeled is general for anything with a name tag, while tabbed means the label sits on a projecting or clickable tab.

flagged

Flagged means marked for attention, often with a sticker, whereas tabbed means fitted with a tab.

indexed

Indexed means arranged or listed by category, while tabbed describes the physical or on-screen tab itself.

Word family

tab noun

a small flap, label or labeled page on a screen

tabbing noun

moving between items using the Tab key

tab key noun

the key used to jump to the next field

Commonly confused: tabbed or tabled?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “tabbed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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