1
as in destroyed
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
aerial bombs rubbed out the oil refinery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in assassinated
to put to death deliberately
an elaborate setup to rub out rival mobsters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in eradicated
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
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rubbed out
No Mob boss, cheerfully decreeing that an inconvenient witness be rubbed out, could be more resolute.
—
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubbed out
Verb
-
The storm that destroyed the home of Shaun and Karen Powers hit three months after the phone call that put an end to Coppermark’s strategy of flooding the insurance department with complaints.—
J.C. Hallman,
Oklahoman,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The Talmud teaches that Jerusalem was destroyed not only because of hatred, but because of sinat chinam, baseless hatred fueled by moral absolutism.—
Rabbi Bruce D. Forman,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The All American Halftime Show was heavy on guitars, Americana, and Christian praise, and was bracketed by tributes to Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, who was assassinated in September.—
Nikki McCann Ramirez,
Rolling Stone,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in September while speaking at a Utah university, established Turning Point USA in 2012 to encourage young people to engage in free speech and advocate for conservative policies.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Finally, in 1963, biochemist John Enders developed the first measles vaccine, a development which virtually eradicated the virus from the US population by the year 2000.—
Joe Wilkins Published Feb 5,
Futurism,
5 Feb. 2026
-
To date, the only other human disease ever eradicated was the virus that caused smallpox.—
Theresa Gaffney,
STAT,
2 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Jennifer Bartholomew says her mother's apartment got power restored Tuesday, but all of the contents of her refrigerator were ruined.—
Lisa Rozner,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Laminate flooring has some water resistance, but the core layer can quickly get ruined if water reaches it.—
Dan Simms,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The book's Japanese translator was murdered, and others associated with it were attacked.—
Anderson Cooper,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
In a desperate bid to recover his losses, he's murdered after fixing a boxing match.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The latest dip pushes bitcoin to its lowest level since late 2024 and extends a months-long downturn that’s erased nearly half its value since October.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Many of those original roads have faded away, swallowed by high-speed highways or erased by suburban expansion.—
Josh Jackson,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Damaged beyond repair, the building was permanently closed and later demolished.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
-
After the closure of Toni’s Italian Restaurant’s Olathe location last year, city planning documents show the restaurant’s former building will soon be demolished alongside a handful of other buildings, as the city gears up for an ambitious overhaul of East Santa Fe Street.—
Kendrick Calfee
Updated February 4,
Kansas City Star,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In one of the most chilling images of the massacre, dozens of corpses executed by the police were lined up on the ground in a public square.—
Evandro Cruz Silva,
The Dial,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Citizens executed in the street for exercising their right to free speech?—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rubbed out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubbed%20out. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
