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
Voice Of The People,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2026
But an Irish knock-on rubbed out a try for Jack Conan, and the second chance was turned over by Mann.
—
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rubout
Noun
Investigators suspect Robinson wanted the rubout.
—
Gail Sheehy,
Vanity Fair,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
This treacherous gang has phenomenally rubbed out many signatures of independence in a very short time.
—
Voice Of The People,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2026
But an Irish knock-on rubbed out a try for Jack Conan, and the second chance was turned over by Mann.
—
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rubout
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubout
Noun
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Prosecutors allege the pistol was used in a 2021 Chicago murder and later in the shooting of a rival gang member.
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Liar, marking a reunion between Seo Hyun-jin and Yoo Yeon-seok as a criminal profiler and a corporate attorney on opposing sides of a murder case tied to a powerful conglomerate, also continues through the month.
Verb
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The most common type of dementia, which destroys memory and cognitive function, was responsible for 116,022 deaths in 2024, NCHS data shows.
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That book is a revenge fantasy about the former art school professor who seduced her, discarded her and destroyed her confidence as a painter.
Verb
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Martin Sheen is the Army captain tasked with going on a secret mission to Cambodia to assassinate a special forces officer (Marlon Brando) who's gone rogue and might actually be nuts.
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Louis Farrakhan, who is now 93, stepped into the organization’s leadership vacuum shortly after Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965.
Verb
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In 1980, smallpox became the first human disease ever eradicated worldwide.
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The rare partnership is giving the tribe an opportunity to introduce its language, history, culture that the federal government once tried to eradicate to soccer fans around the world.
Noun
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Investigators said Edmond purchased the firearm in Georgia just 36 days before it was allegedly used in the homicide.
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Quigley has pleaded not guilty to motor vehicle homicide in the December 2023 Woburn crash that fatally injured 37‑year‑old Special Olympian Angelo Schettino, who died a month later.
Verb
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
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After all, plenty of cocktail enthusiasts already complain about mosquitoes ruining a summer evening.
Verb
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Earle is there to be supportive, and to slay a dragon in her best copyright-dodging Red Sonja fit.
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Jace is then slain by enemy arrows.
Verb
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By the time the boundary issues were partially corrected in the 1960s, both the cemetery and the surrounding Black community had been largely erased from public memory.
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Still, state environmental officials and weather experts say the rainfall deficits dating back to last fall have not been completely erased.
Cite this Entry
“Rubout.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubout. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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