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
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
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Their 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, has been charged with their murder, accused of fatally stabbing them.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
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Officials identified the man as Grant Parker, who had been arrested last month on suspicion of murder.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Weeks later, his father was killed in a fire that destroyed the home Hamlin purchased to thank his parents for getting him into NASCAR.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said its systems intercepted and destroyed 10 drones over the capital, Riyadh, and the kingdom’s eastern region.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The writer relied heavily on the work of the Greek historian Plutarch to craft his play, and the real Caesar may have been given a similar warning before he was assassinated thousands of years ago.—
Kate Perez,
USA Today,
15 Mar. 2026
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He was assassinated while speaking to the media outside of a police station.—
Will Croxton,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The past year has seen the highest rates of measles since before the disease was eradicated in 2000, and the country may already have lost its measles-free status.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
17 Mar. 2026
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Legislation to create a rapid response program to eradicate the noxious invasive weed hydrilla, which has jumped from the Connecticut River to the state’s biggest lakes, received a positive reception at a public hearing at the legislature.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Investigators learned on Tuesday that Lickhart had died from her injuries, and homicide detectives took over the case, DiMartino said.—
Nathan Pilling
March 17,
Kansas City Star,
18 Mar. 2026
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The suspect and victim in a homicide case in east Charlotte last week were dating, according to an affidavit filed in court by Charlotte-Mecklenburg police.—
Ryan Oehrli,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The evening's historic tie almost gets totally ruined For only the seventh time in history, the Oscar vote ended in a tie.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Taylor, 35, has been slaying this award season, not only on the red carpet but also by earning an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress in Paul Thomas Anderson's action dramedy.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
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Demorcy said some bullets and fragments remained in the slain president's body because removing all of them would have taken days and further damaged the remains.—
Tania Francois,
CBS News,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That’s why our testers—spanning a wide range of skin types, ages, and skin concerns—have spent months determining which products actually deliver on their fine-line-smoothing and dark-circle-erasing promises.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
18 Mar. 2026
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In terms of sheer duration, nothing tops the 1994-95 strike, a 232-day encounter between immovable object and unstoppable force that erased a total of 948 games and led to the cancellation of the World Series.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rubout.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubout. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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