1
a
: one that rubs
b
: an instrument or object (such as a rubber eraser) used in rubbing, polishing, scraping, or cleaning
c
: something that prevents rubbing or chafing
2
[from its use in erasers]
a
: an elastic substance that is obtained by coagulating the milky juice of any of various tropical plants (as of the genera Hevea and Ficus), is essentially a polymer of isoprene, and is prepared as sheets and then dried
called also caoutchouc, india rubber
b
: any of various synthetic rubberlike substances
c
: natural or synthetic rubber modified by chemical treatment to increase its useful properties (such as toughness and resistance to wear) and used especially in tires, electrical insulation, and waterproof materials
3
: something made of or resembling rubber: such as
a
: a rubber overshoe
b(1)
: a rubber tire
(2)
: the set of tires on a vehicle
c
: a rectangular slab of white rubber in the middle of a baseball infield on which a pitcher stands while pitching
d
rubber
adjective
1
: a contest consisting of an odd number of games won by the side that takes a majority (such as two out of three)
2
: an odd game played to determine the winner of a tie
Examples of rubber in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 7 Sep. 2023
No one who toed the rubber for the Rangers in this three-part horror series that ended with the Astros’ humiliating 12-3 beat-down of their Lone Star rivals was without sin.
—Kevin Sherrington, Dallas News, 7 Sep. 2023
The biggest barrier to recycling the rubber in the ball is the difficulty of removing the felt from the rubber core because of the tight glue designed to hold that cover on when it's thwacked by a racket.
—CBS News, 6 Sep. 2023
At the top is the rubber handle, which can stop at 20 different heights, as well as an ejectable battery with USB and USB-C docks for charging your phone and laptop, and an integrated TSA lock.
—Quincy Bulin, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2023
While this is essentially a plain toe leather derby, the rubber midsole and ankle padding come from more casual footwear.
—Brad Lanphear, Men's Health, 5 Sep. 2023
There’s smoke first and foremost on the palate, followed by notes of vanilla, lemon, rubber, and black pepper.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 5 Sep. 2023
The wristbands were made of plastic, rubber, cloth, leather, and metal (gold and silver).
—Korin Miller, Health, 2 Sep. 2023
The hybrid hiking/water sandals are equipped with a tough rubber outsole that's grippy on wet rocks and trails alike, making these a great choice if your paddling also entails portgaging or camping.
—Kevin Brouillard, Travel + Leisure, 29 Aug. 2023
See More
Noun
Comes in a range of sizes for multiple dogs or pets of different sizes
The durable rubber is easy to clean and hard to damage by sharp teeth, claws or other means.
—Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 7 Sep. 2023
No one who toed the rubber for the Rangers in this three-part horror series that ended with the Astros’ humiliating 12-3 beat-down of their Lone Star rivals was without sin.
—Kevin Sherrington, Dallas News, 7 Sep. 2023
The biggest barrier to recycling the rubber in the ball is the difficulty of removing the felt from the rubber core because of the tight glue designed to hold that cover on when it's thwacked by a racket.
—CBS News, 6 Sep. 2023
At the top is the rubber handle, which can stop at 20 different heights, as well as an ejectable battery with USB and USB-C docks for charging your phone and laptop, and an integrated TSA lock.
—Quincy Bulin, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2023
While this is essentially a plain toe leather derby, the rubber midsole and ankle padding come from more casual footwear.
—Brad Lanphear, Men's Health, 5 Sep. 2023
There’s smoke first and foremost on the palate, followed by notes of vanilla, lemon, rubber, and black pepper.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 5 Sep. 2023
The wristbands were made of plastic, rubber, cloth, leather, and metal (gold and silver).
—Korin Miller, Health, 2 Sep. 2023
The hybrid hiking/water sandals are equipped with a tough rubber outsole that's grippy on wet rocks and trails alike, making these a great choice if your paddling also entails portgaging or camping.
—Kevin Brouillard, Travel + Leisure, 29 Aug. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rubber.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing rubber
Dictionary Entries Near rubber
Cite this Entry
“Rubber.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rubber. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
rubber
1 of 2 noun
rub·ber
ˈrəb-ər 
1
: something used in rubbing, polishing, scraping, or cleaning
2
a
: an elastic substance obtained from the milky juice of various tropical plants
b
: any of various synthetic substances like rubber
3
: something made of or resembling rubber: as
a
: a rubber overshoe
b
: a rectangular slab of white rubber in the middle of a baseball infield on which a pitcher stands while pitching
4
: condom
rubberlike
adjective
-ˌlīk
rubbery
adjective
ˈrəb-(ə-)rē
rubber
2 of 2 noun1
: a contest that consists of an odd number of games (as card games) and is won by the side that takes a majority (as two out of three)
2
: an extra game played to decide the winner of a tie
Medical Definition
rubber
noun
rub·ber
ˈrəb-ər
1
: an elastic substance that is obtained by coagulating the milky juice of any of various tropical plants (as of the genera Hevea and Ficus), is essentially a polymer of isoprene, and is prepared as sheets and then dried
called also caoutchouc, india rubber
2
More from Merriam-Webster on rubber
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for rubber
Nglish: Translation of rubber for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of rubber for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rubber
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