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
High heat draws out moisture and intensifies watermelon's sweetness, and the rub creates additional caramelization for even deeper flavor notes.
—
Ginger Crichton, Midwest Living, 12 Jan. 2026
For baseball, therein lies some of the rub.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for the rub
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Ginger Crichton, Midwest Living, 12 Jan. 2026
For baseball, therein lies some of the rub.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
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
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 20 Jan. 2026.
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