as in headache
something that is a source of irritation
even what seems to be a dream job usually turns out to have its fair share of rubs
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to wear
to damage or diminish by continued friction
the brake pads were rubbed away as a result of years of use
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to sand
to make smooth by friction
the furniture restorer rubbed the board perfectly smooth with sandpaper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to polish
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure
the butler rubbed the silver tea set until it gleamed
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of rub
Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Mar. 2026
The Buffalo Wings come bone-in or boneless with a dizzying range of flavors and heat levels, from honey BBQ to mango habanero to keto-friendly dry rubs.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
And after rubbing it in and brushing it through, this product leaves virtually no residue or gritty feeling.
—Catharine Malzahn, Glamour, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rub
Noun
Both come with a light breading and a dry-rub seasoning packet for cooking.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Mar. 2026
The Buffalo Wings come bone-in or boneless with a dizzying range of flavors and heat levels, from honey BBQ to mango habanero to keto-friendly dry rubs.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
He is accused of touching the girl’s genitals and rubbing her thighs.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
And after rubbing it in and brushing it through, this product leaves virtually no residue or gritty feeling.
—Catharine Malzahn, Glamour, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rub
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rub
Noun
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Raise massive capital, hire hundreds of people, build a sprawling department for every operational headache — from VAT compliance in Marseille to sourcing logistics in Shenzhen.—
Kuo Zhang,
Fortune,
23 Mar. 2026
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However, despite Roy often being a headache for House GOP leadership, many MAGA Republicans still recognize Roy as a conservative fighter.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At a demonstration in Hangzhou, an operator wearing a motion-capture suit carried out a series of actions, including waving, turning, and kicking a ball, while Titan 01 replicated every movement within milliseconds.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
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For example, people now take care to wear shoes at home in case an explosion shatters glass, or there’s a need to evacuate immediately.—
Jason Rezaian,
New Yorker,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Then the wood must dry, then be sanded, stained and carved.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
15 Mar. 2026
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After drying and sanding, the pieces are sealed and painted with complex patterns, geometric designs, and Zapotec symbols.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Grab your wands and polish your broomsticks, because Hogwarts is calling.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
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The stage puts a spotlight on smack-talk skills, functioning like a gym where wrestlers work out their character muscles, polish their submission holds and perfect their trash-talking chops in front of a panel of judges.—
Anthony Solorzano,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Odor is a botanical defense mechanism as much as thistles and thorns.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
21 Mar. 2026
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The spirit of the endeavor can forgive a lot, with some clumsy filmmaking that doesn’t seem to be an intentional homage, such as a slapdash set-up to Helen’s murderous ways and a slightly tacked-on feeling opening involving a film critic who has been a thorn in Jack’s side.—
Stephen Saito,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The speakers also argued the move will push people to work without a license and erode state oversight of crucial industries.—
ALEJANDRO SERRANO The Texas Tribune,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
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Eva Bermúdez Zimmerman, executive director of Child Care For CT, said that the Manchester closure reflects broader pressures eroding the existing care infrastructure.—
Laura Tillman,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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By modern standards, nearly everyone on earth lived lives of grinding, unthinkable poverty.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
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Each year, as the weather improves, Russia has moved its grinding war of attrition up a gear.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Weeks later, the Queen tapped that relationship to smooth a diplomatic contretemps.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
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Instead of focusing on a single step, these formulas tend to combine exfoliation, hydration, brightening, and smoothing into one multipurpose formula.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rub.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rub. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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