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
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.
Each year, this event becomes one of the crown jewels of the LLWS, where kids from around the world gather to compete, learn, and—perhaps most memorably—rub elbows with their heroes. Don Yaeger, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025 Of course, players might also decide to come in on the outlaw side to better rub elbows with historical figures like Al Capone. Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025 Even after pleading guilty to solicitation charges in 2008, Epstein — who owned a Caribbean island, mansions and a private jet — would still often rub elbows with wealthy and powerful people. Filip Timotija, The Hill, 29 May 2025 Zoom out: The festival spans several days starting with the Groundhog Ball, a formal soirée where tourists can rub elbows with the rodent's Inner Circle. Chrissy Suttles, Axios, 2 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rub elbows with

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rub elbows with.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rub%20elbows%20with. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!