rub off

verb

rubbed off; rubbing off; rubs off

intransitive verb

: to become transferred
bad habits rubbed off on them
carbon rubs off on your hands
rub-off noun

Examples of rub off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Imposter syndrome rubbed off on me, because I had been used to being the first African American to do X, Y, and Z in science. Nicholas Stfleur, STAT, 15 Mar. 2024 Cary, North Carolina The Research Triangle’s innovative energy has rubbed off on this once-small suburb. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2024 Neal Rubin covered the best bowlers in the world during his sportswriter days, but alas, nothing rubbed off. Neal Rubin, Detroit Free Press, 11 Jan. 2024 While the six-part series has some bleak moments, its hopefulness seems to have rubbed off on Granik. Gregg Goldstein, Variety, 21 Jan. 2024 Not only are older workers less likely to leave, their calmer, more relaxed perspective can rub off on younger workers in an intergenerational workplace. Alexa Mikhail, Fortune Well, 26 Jan. 2024 The power-hitting outfielder — the only player to hit a home run out of Memorial Stadium — played with a ferocity that rubbed off on his teammates and shaped his managerial career, which included AL Manager of the Year honors with the Orioles in 1989. Paul McCardell, Baltimore Sun, 17 Jan. 2024 Burns’s off-kilter framing suggests that some of Friedman’s underdog world view may have rubbed off on her. Krithika Varagur, The New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2024 Advertisement The scientists think the strange flipping could possibly be a tactic to rub off parasites. Ana Ramirez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rub off.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rub off was in 1869

Dictionary Entries Near rub off

Cite this Entry

“Rub off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rub%20off. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rub off

verb
: to become transferred
the ink rubbed off on my fingers
a positive attitude can rub off on others
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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