SINCE 1828
rub off
verbDefinition of rub off
: to become transferred
bad habits rubbed off on them carbon rubs off on your hands
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Other Words from rub off
rub-off
\ ˈrəb-ˌȯf 
\
noun
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noun
Examples of rub off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
She's worn it several times before today, which means maybe the Duchess of Cambridge's color choices are rubbing off on Meghan. — Marina Liao, Marie Claire, "Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle Matched in Burgundy Outfits While Attending Different Events," 21 Nov. 2018 Think: Admit it, you've been known to occasionally use a bit of saliva to rub off a smudge now and then. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "Here are your 2018 Ig Nobel Prize winners," 13 Sep. 2018 The president clearly hoped the World Cup glow would rub off on him, raising him up in the eyes of a nation where his economic reforms have drawn fierce protests and labor strikes. — Elaine Ganley, The Seattle Times, "World Cup win gives France new set of heroes, needed boost," 17 July 2018 My mom couldn't resist pulling over to every roadside junk shop in search of the unusual and the zany, and that rubbed off on me. — Douglas Brenner, House Beautiful, "Leslie Klotz on Her Parisian-Inspired Apartment in Manhattan," 8 Dec. 2014 Existing shareholders at Aston Martin, mainly Italian and Kuwaiti investors, will be hoping that some of 007’s mojo will rub off on the shares. — Ben Dummett, WSJ, "Aston Martin Prepares for IPO," 28 Aug. 2018 To get a smooth, even, application, makeup artist Ashleigh Ciucci recommends using your fingers, so that the oils on your hands rub off on the dry skin on your face. — Emily Rekstis, SELF, "The Right Way to Apply Foundation for Oily, Dry, or Combination Skin," 6 Aug. 2018 Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, rub off and discard the charred skins; also discard the stems and seeds. — Joe Yonan, The Seattle Times, "Vegetarian (or vegan) guests for Thanksgiving? Serve them this beauty," 13 Nov. 2018 If your mother doesn’t believe in rule-breaking so much as never seeing the rules in the first place, then that attitude will inevitably rub off. — Vogue, "Model Zaina Miuccia Is a Style Star in the Making—And So Is Her Equally Groovy Mom," 5 Sep. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rub off.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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