rub up
verb
rubbed up; rubbing up; rubs up
1
: to revive or refresh knowledge of : recall
2
: to improve the keenness of (a mental faculty)
Examples of rub up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Your emotional needs rub up against your personal limits today.
—
Usa Today, USA Today, 28 May 2026
That rubbed up against Global North countries that were saying the world was changing.
—Aisha Nyandoro, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
This pentagonal structure is the part that rubs up against the C ring.
—Quanta Magazine, 20 Apr. 2026
Back in 2022, Kirilloff had undergone an invasive wrist surgery, his second in two years, in which doctors shaved down a bone in order to prevent it from rubbing up against another.
—Dan Hayes, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rub up
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Usa Today, USA Today, 28 May 2026
That rubbed up against Global North countries that were saying the world was changing.
—Aisha Nyandoro, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
This pentagonal structure is the part that rubs up against the C ring.
—Quanta Magazine, 20 Apr. 2026
Back in 2022, Kirilloff had undergone an invasive wrist surgery, his second in two years, in which doctors shaved down a bone in order to prevent it from rubbing up against another.
—Dan Hayes, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rub up
Cite this Entry
“Rub up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rub%20up. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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