1
as in speck
a very small piece
had only a nubbin of crayon left
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in root
the central part or aspect of something under consideration
this nubbin of the intelligence report is the prediction that the country's government will soon fall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nubbin
Secchi’s ragù is the opposite of bouncy meat nubbins bobbing in tomato sauce.
—
Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
Double-tapping the nubbin now pops up a menu with volume and microphone controls and voice typing.
—PCMAG, 17 Jan. 2025
Ground nubbins of paprika, cumin, sage and black pepper that have moldered into flavorless, colored molecules.
—Scott Hocker, theweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Heffernan, a gravely captivating newcomer, wraps each expression and gesture around a hard little nubbin of distrust.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2024
Being a bit of a handy man in a fight himself, Father Ryan taught Frankie how to roll with a punch, how to upset a right swing with a left stab to his shoulder, and how to swing in with a right cross to the nubbin of the chin while his man was off keel.
—Westbrook Pegler, New York Daily News, 18 Jan. 2024
That changed at 1:03 a.m. on Dec. 5 when 192 giant lasers at the laboratory’s National Ignition Facility blasted a small cylinder about the size of a pencil eraser that contained a frozen nubbin of hydrogen encased in diamond.
—Kenneth Chang, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Dec. 2022
Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
Double-tapping the nubbin now pops up a menu with volume and microphone controls and voice typing.
—PCMAG, 17 Jan. 2025
Ground nubbins of paprika, cumin, sage and black pepper that have moldered into flavorless, colored molecules.
—Scott Hocker, theweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Heffernan, a gravely captivating newcomer, wraps each expression and gesture around a hard little nubbin of distrust.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2024
Being a bit of a handy man in a fight himself, Father Ryan taught Frankie how to roll with a punch, how to upset a right swing with a left stab to his shoulder, and how to swing in with a right cross to the nubbin of the chin while his man was off keel.
—Westbrook Pegler, New York Daily News, 18 Jan. 2024
That changed at 1:03 a.m. on Dec. 5 when 192 giant lasers at the laboratory’s National Ignition Facility blasted a small cylinder about the size of a pencil eraser that contained a frozen nubbin of hydrogen encased in diamond.
—Kenneth Chang, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Dec. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nubbin
Noun
-
The room is shadowy but lively, with the sense that there are things going on in every speck of the frame.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Every splash of rain, speck of dust, or pinprick of light could mar the negative.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Both grow best in the cool temperatures of early spring and autumn, and the two have root systems that are completely different, which is ideal for companion plants.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Rhythm, song and movement honored the island’s African and Indigenous roots.—
Essence,
Essence,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The light brown hair, worn in an all-purpose crop, bears flecks of gray.—
Nathan Heller,
Vogue,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Yes, these flecks are seeds that were once inside of a vanilla bean, confirms Britton.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The third-highest goal scorer in the club’s history had his heart set on chasing down more records and winning another Golden Boot.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
-
My heart doesn't feel okay with it.—
Liza Esquibias,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The comet bits have also spread a fair distance from it sideways, which is why some of the particles now intersect the Earth even though the comet's orbit does not.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The problem with opinions is, just like various bits of anatomy, everybody has one.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The therapeutic support core adjusts to your body’s curves, virtually eliminating pressure points.—
Christopher Murray
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Equity in food access at Plant Joy Deli Childs' energy around her business comes back to her core belief that food, especially healthy options, shouldn't be out of reach for anyone.—
Bridget Fogarty,
jsonline.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The comet bits have also spread a fair distance from it sideways, which is why some of the particles now intersect the Earth even though the comet's orbit does not.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Binoculars may be necessary to view the comet’s wispy tail, which is a result of high-speed particles from the sun pushing gas and dust away from the comet’s nucleus.—
Dan Falk,
Scientific American,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But critics say the memo builds on kernels of truth before veering into unscientific fringe theories.—
Stephanie Armour,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The female’s back is covered in small protrusions that resemble popped kernels of popcorn, inspiring its genus name Zea, derived from the corn plant.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nubbin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nubbin. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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