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
Zoë Sessums, Architectural Digest, 4 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
Life has rubbed me the wrong way too.
—Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2025
Of the 21 museums under the umbrella of the Smithsonian Institution, one in particular seems recently to have rubbed President Donald Trump the wrong way.
—Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025
In the video, Hewitt turned to the side and rubbed her growing belly before striking a pose.
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Lali rubbed against me about twenty times, weaving back and forth against my legs, meowing, making eye contact.
—Tao Lin, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
In Bachelorette season 11, Nick crashed the party and once again rubbed the other men (and many viewers) the wrong way in pursuit of Bristowe, whose ultimate pick, Shawn Booth, called him cocky and manipulative to his face.
—Laura Bradley, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2025
Jon was going to make a Wolfs sequel until the movie’s sudden lack of theatrical release rubbed him the wrong way.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
Spills can be blotted (never rubbed) with a dry cloth since the fabric is non-absorptive, and for more stubborn stains, dry cleaning is recommended.
—Zoë Sessums, Architectural Digest, 4 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
Life has rubbed me the wrong way too.
—Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2025
Of the 21 museums under the umbrella of the Smithsonian Institution, one in particular seems recently to have rubbed President Donald Trump the wrong way.
—Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025
In the video, Hewitt turned to the side and rubbed her growing belly before striking a pose.
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Lali rubbed against me about twenty times, weaving back and forth against my legs, meowing, making eye contact.
—Tao Lin, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
In Bachelorette season 11, Nick crashed the party and once again rubbed the other men (and many viewers) the wrong way in pursuit of Bristowe, whose ultimate pick, Shawn Booth, called him cocky and manipulative to his face.
—Laura Bradley, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2025
Jon was going to make a Wolfs sequel until the movie’s sudden lack of theatrical release rubbed him the wrong way.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubbed
Adjective
-
The pillowcases have a stylish hem detailing that gives the bed a polished look.—
Rachel Trujillo,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Jeremy Campau of Melvindale brought his 1999 GMC Sonoma painted in metallic emerald green with a polished carbon fiber composite wrapped hood.—
Keenan Thompson,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Google’s overwhelming search dominance may be eroded by itself, as more gen AI players come on the scene.—
Megan Poinski,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The letter said the secretary's personnel decisions and policy moves had eroded scientific integrity and threatened the safety of the HHS workforce, raising immediate questions about the capacity of the CDC and other agencies to carry out public-health missions.—
Daniel Orton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Candle wax should be carefully scraped away with the edge of a plastic putty knife, not metal.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
1 Sep. 2025
-
The beauty of most D2C customer lists is that they weren’t scraped or cobbled together.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Doctors sawed off part of the bone, smoothed and flattened the rest and closed the wound with skin and soft tissue.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
18 Aug. 2025
-
Card networks and domestic wallet apps have smoothed many edges, yet many of those wallets still use the same traditional systems.—
Alvin Kan,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Outdoor scenes especially are artfully composed, such as a distant view of a bridge with the river flowing under it in the foreground, or the glistening look of a puddle on the street at night.—
Caryn James,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Aug. 2025
-
Its mesmerizing turquoise lakes, towering granite pinnacles, and vast, glistening glaciers have earned the park recognition as the crown jewel of Patagonia region, a vast natural frontier which stretches over 1,000 miles from Chile to the tip of Argentina.—
Elizabeth Brownfield,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The flats are made from smooth faux leather and have a modern square toe and double straps — just like the pair Kruger wore.—
Jeaneen Russell,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
-
At the 2025 Oscars, both best actress nominee Demi Moore and best actor winner Adrien Brody wore Armani.—
Merle Ginsberg,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
His walk rate has begun to improve, and the rough edges have begun to be sanded off of his complementary defensive and baserunning skills.—
Tony Blengino,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Despite the glossy subject matter, Winocour neatly sidesteps clichés, instead searching for quiet moments that give the story emotional resonance.—
Joelle Diderich,
Footwear News,
5 Sep. 2025
-
With a slightly glossy appearance, this is a great blanket for a glam bedroom.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rubbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubbed. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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