the rub
noun
formal
: something that causes a difficulty or problem
She's an amazing cook, but she rarely has time to make meals. There's the rub.
Therein/There lies the rub.
Examples of the rub in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But here’s the rub — Tennessee gained its final 61 yards on six carries after the 49ers had taken a 31-10 lead after Brock Purdy’s 1-yard flip to George Kittle.
—
Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 20 Dec. 2025
That was part of the rub with Rizzi.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 5 Nov. 2025
In their roles, Beane and McDermott own the highest regular-season winning percentages in club history by a lot — and there’s the rub.
—Tim Graham, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
But here’s the rub: Romney was factually accurate about the statistic, even if his extrapolation that those millions of Americans view themselves as victims deserving of government hand-outs was dubious.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the rub
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Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 20 Dec. 2025
That was part of the rub with Rizzi.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 5 Nov. 2025
In their roles, Beane and McDermott own the highest regular-season winning percentages in club history by a lot — and there’s the rub.
—Tim Graham, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
But here’s the rub: Romney was factually accurate about the statistic, even if his extrapolation that those millions of Americans view themselves as victims deserving of government hand-outs was dubious.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the rub
Cite this Entry
“The rub.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20rub. Accessed 23 Dec. 2025.
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