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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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But a chunk of the typical campus demographic was missing.—
David Ferrara,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
30 Sep. 2025
-
This recipe gets an extra bit of zip from chunks of pineapple.—
Mary Alice Russell,
Southern Living,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
When shopping, look for ginger root that is firm and smooth.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Used a mulch, leaves keep soil cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, protecting plant roots from extreme temperatures.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Discard the woody central clump of the plant when dividing.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
29 Sep. 2025
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The aberrant gene makes a form of the huntingtin protein that clumps into toxic aggregates, which prevent nerves from functioning normally.—
Alice Park,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In all of these places, the broad availability of talent—whether as founders, knowledge workers, or highly skilled blue-collar workers—is viewed as one core element of the corporate ecosystem’s success.—
Peter Vanham,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
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The new quad-core processor inside is likely doing a lot of heavy lifting there.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In execution, though, those sound principles produced a self-effacing Cartesian colossus — a massive hunk of boring.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
22 Sep. 2025
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Alongside a generous portion of green beans and a protein of your choosing (chicken, pork, shrimp, beef, tofu or none), the crown jewel of the stew is the hearty hunks of Japanese kabocha squash, aka the Japanese pumpkin.—
Bradley Hohulin,
IndyStar,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In essence, the device aims to replace a lymphatic massage or gua sha, offering fascia release, fluid drainage, and smoother texture in one handheld gadget.—
Francesca Krempa,
StyleCaster,
4 Oct. 2025
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Matsui, a Democrat, said time is of the essence, and called on her Republican colleagues to negotiate.—
Kate Wolffe,
Sacbee.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Later that night, a man handed the young woman a wad of cash.—
Avery Schmitz,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
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Everyone gathered around to help flip the meat, stuffing wads of lettuce wraps into their cheeks and washing it down with soju.—
Irene Yoo
September 26,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Beneath a pink bow laden with rhinestones, colorful floral paper was dotted with rhinestones laid in heart and star shapes.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
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At the end of 2023, the researchers compared the group with only one infection to the group with a second infection, focusing on Long COVID-like symptoms such as abdominal pain, respiratory distress, changes in taste and smell, fatigue, chest pain, myocarditis, or irregular heart beat.—
Alice Park,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nub.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nub. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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