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
-
Now for other people whose crepe myrtles look like yours, black bark and white specks are classic signs of crepe myrtle scales.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
10 Sep. 2025
-
There’s nothing worse than applying a full face of makeup, only for your best mascara to end up in smears or black specks across your face.—
Ariana Yaptangco,
Glamour,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This Chardonnay is both a step forward and a nod to its roots, Myers says, as Chardonnay was one of the first grapes that founder Justin Baldwin planted in his vineyard.—
Jeanette Hurt,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The problem is that standing water in the soil deprives roots of oxygen.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Its black and white or brown flecks convey a fresh, modern feel that's ideal for breaking away from the tyranny of basics.—
María Munsuri,
Glamour,
24 Aug. 2025
-
Although other pests cause similar damage, thrips damage is often associate with numerous small flecks of dark green to black fecal matter.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
As the sun was setting, hundreds of North Texans — many clad in black — gathered with candles and posters in their hands and solidarity in their hearts.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Sep. 2025
-
But roughly 20-30% of people who are infected develop severe symptoms, including a range of heart issues—such as heart failure, irregular heartbeat, or even death—and digestive issues—such as an enlarged esophagus or colon, which could cause problems with eating or going to the bathroom.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In the course of his 50-plus-year writing career, there's been a good bit of debate over Stephen King's ability to deliver a satisfying ending.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
-
This evolved into a prototype chiefly engineered by Burrell Smith, selecting for its CPU the 8-bit Motorola 6809 as an upgrade from the Apple II's MOS 6502 but still keeping costs low.—
Cameron Kaiser,
ArsTechnica,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Kirk mused about writing a book on the core tenets of MAGA.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Here’s how the S&P 500 might react, based on the core monthly inflation, according to JPMorgan.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Depending on the reactor’s power, its flux will vary dramatically, reaching hundreds of millions of particles per square centimetre per second.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Shake out filters or tap on the side of the trash can to remove any large particles that may have stuck to the filters.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Or maybe comedy works best when there’s a kernel of truth to it.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Get the recipe > Saveur’s editor at large Shane Mitchell shared these Southern-style pancakes, which get their subtle chew from fresh corn kernels.—
SAVEUR Editors,
Saveur,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nubbin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nubbin. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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