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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
The Boston Celtics are still licking their wounds following the heartbreaking end to the 2024-25 NBA season.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
-
And Lil Wayne agrees by licking my face, which is part of the job description for companion dogs.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
9 July 2025
Verb
-
Harris, who ran the shortest presidential campaign in history, was trounced by Trump in November, capping a remarkable comeback.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
8 July 2025
-
After all, value has trounced growth over the long term, even across the past century where tech revolutions have punctuated every decade.—
James Berman,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
Verb
-
Even children who attempted to combat the racist laws were killed or beaten as in the Soweto Youth Uprising of 1976.—
Time,
Time,
29 July 2025
-
Denim might not be the go-to fabric for beating the summer heat, but that doesn’t stop enthusiasts from finding stylish ways to keep their indigo game strong all season long.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
29 July 2025
Verb
-
The Austin district relied heavily on contractors to overcome its chronic backlog of evaluation requests.—
Keri Heath,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
-
Thunderbolts showed us the true power of the group hug to overcome . . .—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2025
Verb
-
The face of the franchise lashed at a breaking ball in the fifth, pulling a hit onto open grass to double the lead.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
26 July 2025
-
Beijing has lashed out against those concerns, including the 27-member bloc’s move last year to raise tariffs on its electric vehicles, launching a range of its own trade probes in apparent retaliation.—
Nectar Gan,
CNN Money,
24 July 2025
Verb
-
On a Friday night in February on East Sixth Street, a steely-eyed bar doorman rushed around a crowd agitating on the sidewalk and whipped a flashlight above his shoulder.—
Ella McCarthy,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
-
While the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has begun rolling back its shoes-off policy at security checkpoints, this ability to whip them off and on in seconds is still majorly convenient for travel.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
29 July 2025
Verb
-
That first flight on April 28, 2021, was deep within the COVID-19 pandemic that pounded the airline industry.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
17 July 2025
-
Play was suspended a couple of times because of severe weather, the occasional pounding rain and possibly lightning.—
Doug Ferguson,
Chicago Tribune,
15 July 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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 1 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share