1
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
a crowd was drubbing the purse snatcher when the police arrived on the scene
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to trounce
to defeat by a large margin
we drubbed our traditional football rivals so badly that it was basically no contest
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of drub
Fox News also continues drubbing CNN in the ratings.
—
Erik Wemple, Washington Post, 7 June 2023
One of the primary reasons the Celtics were drubbed Monday at Madison Square Garden was the season-worst 3-point shooting performance.
—Gary Washburn, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Feb. 2023
He was drubbed by Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla, who raised nearly $12 million.
—Joe Garofoli, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 Feb. 2023
The current Sockers are in first place, of course, and favored to drub the Dallas Sidekicks in the 7:05 p.m match at Pechanga Arena.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for drub
Erik Wemple, Washington Post, 7 June 2023
One of the primary reasons the Celtics were drubbed Monday at Madison Square Garden was the season-worst 3-point shooting performance.
—Gary Washburn, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Feb. 2023
He was drubbed by Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla, who raised nearly $12 million.
—Joe Garofoli, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 Feb. 2023
The current Sockers are in first place, of course, and favored to drub the Dallas Sidekicks in the 7:05 p.m match at Pechanga Arena.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for drub
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drub
Verb
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Two new friends spent the afternoon chatting, licking our deliciously unexpected delights and beginning a life-long bond.—
Susan Cunningham Euker,
Baltimore Sun,
14 June 2025
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The viral post opens with a quiet, intimate moment: the Labrador sits beside her puppy, gently licking her head.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 June 2025
Verb
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If the rapper could trounce the rocker in popularity, then surely the Black filmmaker could become the face of the American filmmaker, which had long been considered a white man’s job.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
14 June 2025
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However, its flagship chatbot just got trounced by a 46-year-old device at one of the world’s oldest games of skill.—
Will McCurdy,
PC Magazine,
14 June 2025
Verb
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In the semis, Parenteau turned back the clock and played a solid game to beat Buckner and return to the final for the first time in nearly a year.—
Todd Boss,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
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Almost daily, the news has stories and videos of people being robbed or beaten in Baltimore, shot and killed, or simply being harassed.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
23 June 2025
Verb
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Advertisement Indiana tried its best to overcome heartbreak in Game 7: Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers’ star point guard who was playing with a calf strain in his right leg, suffered an achilles injury in the first quarter.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
23 June 2025
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The Thunder overcame two Game 7s en route to the title, and they will now forever be called champions.—
Matt Levine,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 June 2025
Verb
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Forecasters said Erick was expected over the coming hours to lash Mexico’s Pacific coast with heavy rain, strong winds and a fierce storm surge.—
Luis Alberto Cruz,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2025
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That’s something that our character was going through a really tough moment and feeling really bad and wanting to be angry and lash out., Travis Scott’s music really carries that emotion for a lot of young kids.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
17 June 2025
Verb
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The San Diego native whipped a low cross into the box, which both Adriana Leon and Ascanio narrowly missed.—
Fernando Ramirez,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 June 2025
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Chelsea took the lead on 13 minutes when Neto raced away from deep inside the Flamengo half and opened his body before whipping the ball past Agustin Rossi.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
Verb
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The left-hander got pounded a year ago and thumped again in his first taste of big-league action for eight runs in five innings against the Washington Nationals.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
26 June 2025
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Kamala Harris pounded Joe Biden over his stances on busing from the 1970s—a long-ago dispute that even became fodder for J.D. Vance in 2024.—
Andrew Yang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
Verb
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In Libya in late 2016, the U.S. military conducted air strikes in support of Libya’s interim government to rout ISIS from its nascent safe haven in Sirte.—
Lisa Monaco,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Oct. 2017
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The Battle of Jakku The fleet of the Rebellion, now calling itself the New Republic, routs the Empire in the largest battle since Endor.—
Nick Romano,
EW.com,
25 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drub.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drub. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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