as in polished
having a shiny surface or finish
the rubbed brass of the wall sconce showed my reflection
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 9 June 2026
The good times keep rolling through the commercial breaks, as A-listers rubbed elbows, and at the afterparties, where the big stars enjoyed burgers from Shake Shack and got their drink on.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 8 June 2026
He's rubbed some Cabinet members the wrong way.
—CBS News, 7 June 2026
There’s a dump cake that comes together with three ingredients, a poke cake built for a crowd, and a cobbler made for two with lavender rubbed right into the sugar.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 June 2026
The administration’s decision to import large quantities of Argentinian beef has also rubbed many ranchers the wrong way.
—Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 4 June 2026
The pair rubbed shoulders at the 2024 Super Bowl, joined forces for Rolling Stone's Musicians on Musicians issue in 2020, and moved album release dates around for each other.
—Clare Fisher, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
The reef fish was often rubbed with salt and mixed with seaweed and a traditional candlenut relish called inamona.
—Sylvie Bigar, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
And that really rubbed committee members last cycle the wrong way and may have worked against them.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Verb
Chemical filters, such as avobenzone, octocrylene and homosalate, appear clear when rubbed on the skin but sometimes feel oily.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 9 June 2026
The good times keep rolling through the commercial breaks, as A-listers rubbed elbows, and at the afterparties, where the big stars enjoyed burgers from Shake Shack and got their drink on.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 8 June 2026
He's rubbed some Cabinet members the wrong way.
—CBS News, 7 June 2026
There’s a dump cake that comes together with three ingredients, a poke cake built for a crowd, and a cobbler made for two with lavender rubbed right into the sugar.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 June 2026
The administration’s decision to import large quantities of Argentinian beef has also rubbed many ranchers the wrong way.
—Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 4 June 2026
The pair rubbed shoulders at the 2024 Super Bowl, joined forces for Rolling Stone's Musicians on Musicians issue in 2020, and moved album release dates around for each other.
—Clare Fisher, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
The reef fish was often rubbed with salt and mixed with seaweed and a traditional candlenut relish called inamona.
—Sylvie Bigar, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
And that really rubbed committee members last cycle the wrong way and may have worked against them.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubbed
Adjective
-
Behind the polished facade of creator campaigns sits a workflow that is still largely manual.—
Vivian Toh,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
-
For example, using geometry and the longitudinal position of the home, the team angled the awning over the windows in the main living space so shade falls in front of the house in summer and moves deep into the living area in winter to heat the polished concrete floor.—
Noah Daly,
Idaho Statesman,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
The oil supply shock caused by the Iran war has eroded global demand for crude — but a lasting resolution to the conflict could drive a surge in supply volumes and trigger a major oil overhang next year, the International Energy Agency said on Wednesday.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
17 June 2026
-
Israel’s failed forever wars in Iran and Lebanon have further eroded Netanyahu’s prospects.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
But the most interesting finding was several straight, parallel striations inside the skull, indicating the brain matter had been methodically scraped out with a sharp instrument shortly after death.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
11 June 2026
-
Firecrawl has started working with partners including Wikipedia on this, with the idea that information sources providing real value to AI systems should be compensated for it, rather than scraped silently.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Inside the cage was a mouse—the mouse that Renova had significantly smoothed—eliciting a few gasps from nearby assistants.—
William Norwich,
Vogue,
12 June 2026
-
Ahead of opening arguments, Rinderknecht smoothed back his hair, and Haney helped adjust his tie before giving him a pat on the back.—
Brittny Mejia,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
Glazed butter is a trend that combines the stunning shade with a chrome topper for a glistening look that's good enough to eat.—
Kara Jillian Brown,
InStyle,
11 June 2026
-
Beef cheeks and tongues, Frenched racks of lamb, glistening hams, poulet de Bresse, and rabbits still with their heads, round eyes blinkless under long lashes frozen in the ice.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Trudeau embraced the Southern California vibes and wore a green T-shirt with black shorts and a pair of dark sunglasses.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
-
Flockhart looked pretty in pink next to Ford, who wore a classic tux, at the 2024 Critics Choice Awards.—
Kate Hogan,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Paint can be stripped or sanded down and stained so the natural wood of these pieces can really shine.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
6 June 2026
-
But even slightly sanded down, their work puts other games to shame.—
Jordan Minor,
PC Magazine,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Shrimp become juicy and sweet, zucchini and carrots are crisp-tender, and everything is nicely coated in the bright lemon pepper seasoning.—
Lizzy Briskin,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 June 2026
-
The brand is also introducing a new category called Dunked, featuring tenders, wings, and sandwiches coated in sauce for a bold, flavor-forward experience.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rubbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubbed. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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