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
-
Ernest attempts to identify which of the hostages is guilty of the murder and the attempted heist.—
Sandra Dallas,
Denver Post,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Two men were found guilty Saturday night in the murder of a Highland Park man, who was beaten to death in a 2022 fight along the Lake Michigan shoreline.—
Clifford Ward,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Similarly, corruption or physical damage might destroy a file’s header, which contains its identifying metadata, while leaving other parts of it untouched.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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The Jeep crashed into a concrete barrier after clipping the other car, destroying part of the barrier, Adams County Fire Rescue officials said.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Utah Valley University has dropped its commencement speaker, Sharon McMahon, after conservative groups criticized her over past comments about Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated on campus during his American Comeback Tour in September.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2026
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The same forces also assassinated Lebanon’s president-elect, Bashir Gemayel, in 1982 and Lebanon’s former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri in 2005.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Treating the underlying condition eradicates the need for drug treatments that act globally.—
Dr. Patricia Richard,
Hartford Courant,
14 Apr. 2026
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Without widespread vaccine adherence, illnesses that were once eradicated can make a return.—
Sukhman Rekhi,
Verywell Health,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The suspect has been charged with first- and third-degree assault for the incident, but charges are expected to be amended by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office to include homicide.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
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The seven defendants are charged with culpable homicide, a crime similar to involuntary manslaughter that alleges that the accused were aware that their reckless conduct posed a risk and failed to prevent it.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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These tenacious insects discreetly land on your skin, leaving sudden, itchy, and painful bites that can swell and turn red, ruining a perfectly pleasant outdoor evening.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
18 Apr. 2026
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Who knew that an attempt to ruin Iran’s navy and army would result in the demilitarization of the West?—
Rachel Marsden,
Hartford Courant,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Staten Island father of three was the ninth livery driver slain in the first four months of 2000.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Julius Randle slayed a lot of his previous playoff demons last season and will be healthy and rested, as will Jaden McDaniels after missing six games with a bone bruise in his left knee.—
The Athletic NBA Staff,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The request by the Justice Department would go a step further and erase all the convictions for extremist group leaders, including Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, who didn’t receive pardons last January.—
Michael Kunzelman,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
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Adam Frazier and Logan O'Hoppe each hit a solo homer off Yankees starter Luis Gil to help the Angels erase an early 3-0 deficit.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rubout.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubout. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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