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
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Recent Examples of rubout
Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Gia Yetikyel, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for rubout
Noun
Investigators suspect Robinson wanted the rubout.
—Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
Apply additional pressure while attempting to rub out these stains, but don't go crazy.
—Gia Yetikyel, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for rubout
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubout
Noun
-
The cruel cartoon of a constantly shrewish, venal, and disloyal Mary began cementing itself in the public mind when William Herndon, Lincoln’s Springfield law partner, started lecturing about his reminiscences within months of the President’s murder.—
Thomas Mallon,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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Last week, the South Carolina Supreme Court delivered an account of how Hill’s conduct during the 2023 double-murder trial crossed ethical and constitutional lines, ultimately unraveling the state’s conviction of Murdaugh.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2026
Verb
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The fire destroyed two structures — a cabin and an equipment shed — and forced the evacuation of 11 National Park Service employees, who were rescued by a Santa Barbara County Fire Department helicopter.—
Jack Flemming,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
-
Covers personal property used to secure a loan as collateral if it's destroyed.—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Later that evening, Lennon was assassinated outside of his apartment building, rendering the interview his final words spoken on the record.—
Vikram Murthi,
IndieWire,
15 May 2026
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The country’s recent bombardment of Lebanon, killing thousands in response to Hezbollah strikes launched after joint US-Israeli strikes assassinated Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has also drawn widespread condemnation internationally.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
Verb
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What’s worse, these wood-destroying insects can be hard to spot and are famously challenging to eradicate.—
Dan Simms,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
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Teammates don’t want Rushing to eradicate his competitiveness.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
8 May 2026
Noun
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Stepheny Price is a Writer at Fox News with a focus on West Coast and Midwest news, missing persons, national and international crime stories, homicide cases, and border security.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
12 May 2026
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The San Diego County medical examiner’s office ruled his cause of death to be asphyxia and classified the manner as a homicide.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Since 2015, it has been held in ten different cities, including Las Vegas, where a red carpet was constructed atop the Bellagio’s fountain pool, and Nashville, where rowdy attendees ruined bachelorette parties on Broadway.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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Many riads were in a state of disrepair, crammed with striking examples of traditional craftsmanship going to ruin.—
Rebecca Ann Hughes,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
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It is thought that the Greek myth could be a retelling of an older Babylonian tale, in which the hero Gilgamesh slayed a colossal dog-headed, winged serpent known as a Mush-dragon.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
9 May 2026
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However, this is Mother’s Day weekend, so a golden opportunity to either rewatch Miranda Presley slay another day or finally get a chance to see it for the first time as a holiday outing.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
9 May 2026
Verb
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After Orlando squandered a chance on the counterattack, Philadelphia capitalized in transition to erase the remaining deficit.—
Kyle Foley,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
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Lehmann considers the contested history of Anne Boleyn, the outlandish accusations against her, and the ways in which her image has been erased and changed over time.—
Fiction Non Fiction,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rubout.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubout. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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