rub elbows with
idiom
US, informal
: to meet and talk with (someone) in a friendly way
The awards dinner gave me the opportunity to rub elbows with some of today's greatest American poets.
Examples of rub elbows with in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
What thrilled him most was getting to rub elbows with other Hall of Famers such as Brian Boitano, Dorothy Hamill and Scott Hamilton.
—
Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Unlike similar services, where passengers squeeze into a single cabin and awkwardly rub elbows with strangers, Pliyt's design divides the vehicle's interior into four completely independent pods.
—New Atlas, 14 Jan. 2026
Attendees rub elbows with everyone from local restaurateurs and rum distillers to celebrity chefs, all while sampling tasty food and drink.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 4 Jan. 2026
Alluring remixes of recent tunes rub elbows with sought-after B-sides and song fragments that are trickier to place chronologically.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rub elbows with
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Unlike similar services, where passengers squeeze into a single cabin and awkwardly rub elbows with strangers, Pliyt's design divides the vehicle's interior into four completely independent pods.
—New Atlas, 14 Jan. 2026
Attendees rub elbows with everyone from local restaurateurs and rum distillers to celebrity chefs, all while sampling tasty food and drink.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 4 Jan. 2026
Alluring remixes of recent tunes rub elbows with sought-after B-sides and song fragments that are trickier to place chronologically.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rub elbows with
Cite this Entry
“Rub elbows with.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rub%20elbows%20with. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
