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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Digwa, 23, was convicted of murder for stabbing Nowak with an 8-inch (21 centimeter) Sikh dagger and sentenced this week to life in prison with a minimum 21-year term.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
-
Jenny’s murder strengthens her resolve.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 June 2026
Verb
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In July 1936, anarchists set fire to the church’s crypt and broke into the architect’s workshop before destroying many of his plans and plaster models.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
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The Russian president, who has never acknowledged that Ukraine is a legitimate country, or that Zelensky is its legitimate president, could continue to bomb Ukrainian cities, hoping to destroy the electrical grid and make the country unlivable.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
In 1979, Pamela’s father, Lord Louis Mountbatten, was assassinated by the IRA when a bomb exploded aboard his fishing boat.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
5 June 2026
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In the 1970s, Eugene Hart was convicted of threatening the president after his brother reported Hart’s plan to assassinate President Richard Nixon.—
Wayne Unger,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
Verb
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It was eradicated in the United States in the 1960s, in Mexico in the 1970s, and much of Central America in the early 2000s, according to the CDC.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
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Screwworms were eradicated from the US Southwest in 1966, though Texas continued to struggle with outbreaks into the 1980s.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
However, a subsequent investigation ruled out drowning as the cause of death and determined the toddler’s death was a homicide, prosecutors said.—
Sydney Barragan,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
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The Sacramento Police Department announced on Tuesday that investigators secured a homicide arrest warrant for an additional suspect, saying that a 17-year-old boy was taken into custody and booked into juvenile hall.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Years earlier, in 2001, the undercover detective involved claimed her career had been ruined by the case, and received around $166,000 in an out-of-court settlement, per the BBC.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
7 June 2026
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Think about it the next time a presidential rant ruins your coffee.—
Steven Andreasen,
Twin Cities,
7 June 2026
Verb
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When Kostyuk hired Zaniewska, her main experience coaching on the WTA Tour was with Alizé Cornet, the French player with a penchant for slaying top-10 stars at Grand Slams.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
4 June 2026
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Lastly, players will have a new Elder Dragon to slay.—
Gieson Cacho,
Mercury News,
4 June 2026
Verb
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These Knicks, who erased a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter against Cleveland in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, just don’t quit.—
Tim Reynolds,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
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The magic on the pitch during the World Cup has a way of erasing everything that happens off it – for better or worse.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rubout.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubout. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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