as in murder
the intentional and unlawful taking of another person's life
the mafia boss ordered a rubout as casually as you might order a pizza
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to destroy
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
aerial bombs rubbed out the oil refinery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to assassinate
to put to death deliberately
an elaborate setup to rub out rival mobsters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to eradicate
to destroy all traces of
a promise to rub out the city's drug trade
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of rubout
John Annese, New York Daily News, 24 Mar. 2024
Each wipe comes pre-soaked in Shout stain fighter and is designed with a textured surface that creates extra friction to rub out stains.
—Katherine Alex Beaven, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023
Leach, subsequently dealt from the Seals to the Flyers in May 1974, won the Cup with the Broad Streeters in ‘75 and amassed his 19 the following spring, when they were rubbed out by the Canadiens, 4-0, in the Cup Final.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 13 May 2023
But church officials warn that secularization more than anything led them to rub out the godparents, a Sicilian thing that’s been going on for 2,000 years, or at least since the church’s dicey first days, when sponsors known to bishops vouched for converts to prevent pagan infiltration.
—New York Times, 16 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for rubout
Verb
Even so, the line about YB is specific enough to stay, since the suspects are accused of conspiring to rub out his killer, Cogan stated.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 24 Mar. 2024
Each wipe comes pre-soaked in Shout stain fighter and is designed with a textured surface that creates extra friction to rub out stains.
—Katherine Alex Beaven, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023
Leach, subsequently dealt from the Seals to the Flyers in May 1974, won the Cup with the Broad Streeters in ‘75 and amassed his 19 the following spring, when they were rubbed out by the Canadiens, 4-0, in the Cup Final.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 13 May 2023
But church officials warn that secularization more than anything led them to rub out the godparents, a Sicilian thing that’s been going on for 2,000 years, or at least since the church’s dicey first days, when sponsors known to bishops vouched for converts to prevent pagan infiltration.
—New York Times, 16 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for rubout
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubout
Noun
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Tyler Robinson, 22, has been charged with his murder.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
-
The City of Boston has paid $150,000 as part of a settlement agreement with two Black men wrongfully accused in the 1989 murder of a white pregnant woman, Carol Stuart.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a five-floor apartment building in the Solomyanskyi district was partially destroyed and caught fire.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
28 Sep. 2025
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Mexico built a hydroelectric dam, where these golden barrel cactuses live and in an instant their environment was destroyed and this species was almost wiped out.—
Eyder Peralta,
NPR,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Erika Kirk took the helm of her husband’s conservative political organization in the days after he was assassinated.—
Stephanie Murray,
AZCentral.com,
27 Sep. 2025
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In the days since founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated on a college campus, Turning Point Action has channeled grief into purpose by doubling down on its voter registration mission.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Policymakers can acknowledge the complicated history of vaccines, public health and race, while also recognizing how advancements in science and medicine have given us the opportunity to eradicate many of these diseases in the United States today.—
Stacie Kershner,
The Conversation,
22 Sep. 2025
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The drop-off between the starting player and his backup was still too great in some areas of Arsenal’s squad last season, but that has now been eradicated.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
21 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The death of a 23-year-old man at Waupun Correctional Institution in March has been ruled a homicide, according to a medical examiner’s determination.—
Vanessa Swales,
jsonline.com,
25 Sep. 2025
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With nearly 944,000 residents, that works out to about 12 homicides for every 100,000 people.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Don Sweeney,
Miami Herald,
23 Sep. 2025
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Doing so could compromise the slight taper at the hem, ruining the silhouette.—
Shea Simmons,
PEOPLE,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The local station owner had previously demanded that Kimmel apologize to Kirk’s family and make a donation to the slain activist's organization, Turning Point USA.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
24 Sep. 2025
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Plus, here’s how your federal lawmakers voted on a resolution honoring the slain activist.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The surge of activity at the memorial fits into a wider Republican push to erase Democrats’ registration advantages in battleground states.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Sep. 2025
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Bulsara was desperate to transform himself in that mold, to erase his recent past as a gawky, shy, bucktoothed kid .—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rubout.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubout. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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