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

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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
  • Blackwell is serving a sentence of life without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder.
    — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The murder case descended into chaos when allegations that court clerk Rebecca Hill made inappropriate comments to jurors while the trial was ongoing.
    — Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of murder
Verb
  • Vendors said enforcement sweeps that began earlier this year have threatened their livelihoods, with authorities confiscating vending equipment and, in some cases, destroying it.
    — Da Lin, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • One of those, the USS Gerald R Ford, also reported problems earlier this year, from toilets that weren’t working to a laundry fire that briefly stopped combat operations and destroyed some sleeping quarters.
    — Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of destroy
Verb
  • Experts say the changes mark a shift in approach compared to the more cautious tone under Mojtaba’s father, Ali Khamenei, who was supreme leader until assassinated by Israel at the start of the war.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Orders the Navy’s Seal Team 6 to assassinate a political rival?
    — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of assassinate
Verb
  • Tlaib is also a prominent critic of Israel; her rhetoric has been chastised by Jewish colleagues as an antisemitic call for eradicating Jews, a charge the congresswoman and her supporters reject.
    — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Smallpox, which was eradicated in 1980 and no longer naturally circulates, was once one of the world's deadliest diseases.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of eradicate
Noun
  • The death of an inmate at California State Prison, Sacramento, is being investigated as a homicide, officials said on Tuesday.
    — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The medical examiner’s office ruled the manner of death as a homicide and the cause of death to be blunt force trauma to the head at the time of the killing, according to the arrest report.
    — Avni Trivedi, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of homicide
Verb
  • Campione said her campaign was focused on protecting rural lands from being annexed into cities for rural subdivisions and stopping activities that could ruin water quality or override property rights.
    — James Wilkins, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
  • But the mellow vibes are ruined when a goofy case of mistaken identity results in Frankie coming home with a briefcase containing several vials of a glowing orange goo.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of ruin
Verb
  • Lean into your confidence and slay the competition, knowing that the fiercest flex is being yourself.
    — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 7 Aug. 2026
  • After pressing go, the smart telescope should move and slew towards the sun.
    — Harry Bennett, Space.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of slay
Verb
  • The Cubs offense quickly erased the 1-0 deficit behind four consecutive hitters reaching with two outs in the top of the second.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Reading scores of New York City public school students plummeted this past school year, erasing improvements in the subject recorded a year before, sparking calls from the teachers’ union for a change in approach.
    — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 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 15 Aug. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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