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2
as in root
the central part or aspect of something under consideration
the nub of the argument is that the intelligence agencies failed the country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nub
The green cabbage and onion (and maybe a carrot nub, for a bit of color) should be very finely grated or even finely ground.
—
Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2025
If not for the rhythmic motion of the stylus’s nub against the touch screen, he could have been mistaken for someone meditating.
—Matt Alt, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Eventually, just like a real pencil, the sculpture will be just a nub with an eraser—and both the Higgins family and Ingvoldstad are okay with that.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 June 2025
The grisly damage included fingers on his right hand that had been reduced to nubs.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nub
Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2025
If not for the rhythmic motion of the stylus’s nub against the touch screen, he could have been mistaken for someone meditating.
—Matt Alt, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Eventually, just like a real pencil, the sculpture will be just a nub with an eraser—and both the Higgins family and Ingvoldstad are okay with that.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 June 2025
The grisly damage included fingers on his right hand that had been reduced to nubs.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nub
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nub
Noun
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The neck of his daughter's guitar pokes out above chunks of concrete.—
Jane Arraf,
NPR,
3 Nov. 2025
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Those two buyers went on to sell chunks of their stakes to Libero Football Finance, a German company, and NIPA Capital, based in the Netherlands.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Evolito itself traces its roots to YASA’s early axial flux technology.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Little Tokyo often steals the spotlight, but Gardena and Torrance’s Japanese American roots run just as deep.—
Mae Hamilton,
Travel + Leisure,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The study included nearly 300 people who were still cognitively normal but at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s because their brain scans showed evidence of amyloid plaques, the clumps of protein that are the hallmark of Alzheimer's.—
Alice Park,
Time,
3 Nov. 2025
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When the wafer is rinsed, these clumps redeposit onto the surface, causing the defects.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Mongolian Cashmere Fisherman Sweater Vest Sweater vests are the perfect middle layer when the seasons transition to warm up your core without overheating your arms under jackets.—
Staff Author,
Southern Living,
30 Oct. 2025
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Season 34's core panel of judges all agreed that Earle performed exceptionally.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Netflix’s homepage and social-media accounts tease a series full of shirtless hunks, and the characters often shower together, showing off their butts.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
17 Oct. 2025
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And Prince William would have been forgiven for blushing when Kate pointedly replied that the poster had in fact shown the TV hunk from a famous Levi advert.—
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Their language mimics the essence of things, evocations of items and experiences.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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Although the codes are reinvented, the essence almost always remains the same.—
Tatiana Ojea,
Glamour,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Hanging ornaments with care can be one of the highlights of the holiday season, but untangling wads of string lights is far less enjoyable.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
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Later that night, a man handed the young woman a wad of cash.—
Avery Schmitz,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Pasta Whole-grain pasta, including whole wheat pasta, retains more fiber, vitamins like B vitamins, and essential minerals such as iron and magnesium, which support heart health, digestion, and energy.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
29 Oct. 2025
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Now Governor Healey and the homeless industrial complex have set their heart on over-cramming capacity on Redlands Road.—
Lou Murray,
Boston Herald,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nub.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nub. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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