as in polished
having a shiny surface or finish
the rubbed brass of the wall sconce showed my reflection
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in eroded
to damage or diminish by continued friction
the brake pads were rubbed away as a result of years of use
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in scraped
to make smooth by friction
the furniture restorer rubbed the board perfectly smooth with sandpaper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in smoothed
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure
the butler rubbed the silver tea set until it gleamed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rubbed
Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 22 Oct. 2025
Tom rubbed the back of his neck.
—Bob Cary, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2025
All other produce can be gently rubbed while being rinsed.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
The female nurse rubbed the glove over her sides, into the folds, on the back of her neck.
—Laura Vazquez, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Liang, kneeling before me, made a praying gesture and rubbed his hands together to warm them.
—Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Before thermometers and urgent care, white rum rubbed on the forehead or chest was a fever fix; a splash on a new building’s foundation was a blessing for protection.
—Gina Pace, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
And while it was expected the two sides would part ways this offseason, first-year Jets head coach Aaron Glenn rubbed Rodgers the wrong way after an awkward meeting between the two to discuss their future together.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
The bug’s feces can also end up inside or near a home and then be incidentally ingested or rubbed into the skin or mucous membrane.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
Sontay rubbed his face and accepted the voluntary departure.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 22 Oct. 2025
Tom rubbed the back of his neck.
—Bob Cary, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2025
All other produce can be gently rubbed while being rinsed.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
The female nurse rubbed the glove over her sides, into the folds, on the back of her neck.
—Laura Vazquez, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Liang, kneeling before me, made a praying gesture and rubbed his hands together to warm them.
—Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Before thermometers and urgent care, white rum rubbed on the forehead or chest was a fever fix; a splash on a new building’s foundation was a blessing for protection.
—Gina Pace, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
And while it was expected the two sides would part ways this offseason, first-year Jets head coach Aaron Glenn rubbed Rodgers the wrong way after an awkward meeting between the two to discuss their future together.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
The bug’s feces can also end up inside or near a home and then be incidentally ingested or rubbed into the skin or mucous membrane.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubbed
Adjective
-
Shulman was equally polished in a cord blazer over a white shirt styled with suede boots.—
Latoya Gayle,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Hearth & Hand with Magnolia Grid Stitch Quilt Give your bed a polished upgrade with this quilt from Joanna Gaines’ Target brand.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In each case — tobacco, alcohol, opioids — the middle ground eroded.—
Jahan Marcu,
Rolling Stone,
23 Oct. 2025
-
These brawls further eroded democratic norms, while driving voters away from left-wing and moderate parties who seemed helpless to halt them.—
Time,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Minnesota Vikings have scraped their way to a 3-3 record despite a slew of meaningful injuries on both sides of the football, but the time for a truly drastic measure may have finally arrived.—
Max Dible,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Very few have ever scraped quite like Cam Skattebo did.—
Ian O'Connor,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The first is that the metallic fabric rightfully has a different texture (and potentially consistency) from the black, and that difference is glaring with that wide a stripe; reducing that width by a third or half would have smoothed that out.—
The Athletic NHL Staff,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The palate is rich with leather, oak, and dark fruit, smoothed by brown sugar and lifted by cherry brightness.—
Gege Reed,
Louisville Courier Journal,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
While Alberta Ferretti creative director Lorenzo Serafini's runway design featured glistening embellishments and more dramatic draping, the shoppable cape dress does not include an open back at all.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
19 Oct. 2025
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Ye Fan for The New York Times Caroline Palmer was telling the story of how she got hired at Vogue in 2001 when a waitress at Tierney’s Tavern plunked two pints of beer and a pile of glistening onion rings on the table between us.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The model wore two looks that night, including an eye-turning pink two-piece lingerie set with a sparkly bustier and lacy boy briefs.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Styled by Soki Mak, Kardashian also wore layers of silver cross pendants and chains as seen on the runway.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Reiss’ script was a Black List find that either wasn’t reworked enough by committee or so sanded down in the studio churn that all personality was drained in the process.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Some people take all the components off the frame, strip off all the decals, then get the whole thing sanded and powder-coated with a fresh coat of paint.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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However, safety is the top concern among users in the Reddit thread, with many reporting that their glossy or ultra-smooth floors are incredibly slippery, especially when wet.—
Lauren Bengtson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
-
On Friday night, tennis superstar Serena Williams made a splash at the Princesa De Asturias awards ceremony, clad in a head-to-toe fiery red ensemble featuring glossy pumps.—
Kelsey Stewart,
Footwear News,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rubbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubbed. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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