rubout 1 of 2

noun

Definition of ruboutnext
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

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rub out

2 of 2

verb

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 show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rubout
Noun
Investigators suspect Robinson wanted the rubout. — Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
The News started a morning edition to rub out its competitor. — Tim Kiska, Detroit Free Press, 21 Dec. 2024 Apply additional pressure while attempting to rub out these stains, but don't go crazy. — Gia Yetikyel, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2024 See All Example Sentences for rubout
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubout
  1. murder
  2. destroy
  3. assassinate
  4. eradicate
  5. homicide
  6. ruin
  7. slay
  8. erase
Noun
  • The sheriff's office said ballistic testing performed with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives later produced forensic evidence linking the two murders.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 22 July 2026
  • Nearly three years after Ebony Duncan vanished after leaving work in Independence, a Jackson County jury has found her former boyfriend guilty of second-degree murder.
    — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2026
Definition of murder
Verb
  • The planters themselves get chipped, scratched, dented and, in one out of every three cases so far, destroyed.
    — Josh Bergeron, Charlotte Observer, 24 July 2026
  • However, an unconfined plasma column could instantly destroy solid surfaces upon contact.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 23 July 2026
Definition of destroy
Verb
  • One of the most famous examples comes from Archbishop Óscar Romero, who was assassinated in 1980 and declared a saint by Pope Francis in 2018.
    — Gina Perez, The Conversation, 21 July 2026
  • Then, a few weeks later, Israel blew up the ongoing talks by assassinating both Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas representative leading peace talks in Qatar, and Mohammed Deif, a top decision-maker inside Gaza.
    — David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
Definition of assassinate
Verb
  • Four Months Before the Wedding If your primary concern is eradicating sun spots or hyperpigmentation before your wedding—whether that be on your face or body—speak with your dermatologist about the possibility of laser treatments.
    — Rio Viera-Newton, Vogue, 23 July 2026
  • Four centuries later, in the mid-20th century, China’s government similarly encouraged people to eradicate over a billion sparrows to prevent them from depleting grain supplies.
    — Elan Abrell, The Conversation, 22 July 2026
Definition of eradicate
Noun
  • Fort Worth Police Department homicide detectives on Monday arrested Alonzo Reyes, 18, and Gerald Chamberlain, 17, on suspicion of murder in the alleged ruse.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 July 2026
  • In 2022, by contrast, there had been almost twice as many homicides by the midpoint of the year, with 50 people killed in Denver by July 1, including 14 children.
    — Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 20 July 2026
Definition of homicide
Verb
  • Floyd is no longer attracted to his wife, has trouble connecting with his teen-age stepson, and owes tens of thousands in taxes—a set of stressors that are ruining his health.
    — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 July 2026
  • That would ruin a good thing, apparently, and Foerster credited Puni for not only playing through a knee injury last fall but overcoming early-career growing pains.
    — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 20 July 2026
Definition of ruin
Verb
  • An Oregon man was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison for a November 1981 Griffith cold case slaying.
    — Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2026
  • One person was killed near Summit Avenue and North 39th Street; three were killed at the Samuel Gompers Homes; and one more was slain at Jones Park, where two others were also wounded.
    — David K. Li, NBC news, 13 July 2026
Definition of slay
Verb
  • Ungrounding, on the other hand, aims to remove a society from its place and erase all traces to its previous existence.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
  • Photographs capture her outline in the mud of a creek bank; in the snow blown against a tree trunk; in an arrangement of branches and flowers leaned against a tree; and in the sand on a beach, already being erased by the waves.
    — Eliza Goodpasture, ARTnews.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of erase

Browse Nearby Words

rubicund
rubout
rub out
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rubout.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubout. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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