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
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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
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The United States destroyed a key Iranian naval base in the Straight of Hormuz, sinking many vessels present, as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the shipping lane was officially closed.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Aircraft shelters at the air base to the north of the complex also appear to be damaged or destroyed.—
Victoria Beaule,
ABC News,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Franco is the sister of Marielle Franco, a Rio councilwoman, feminist and human rights activist who was assassinated in 2018.—
Eléonore Hughes,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Several days after this event, right-wing podcaster Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking at Utah Valley University.—
Karen J. Leader,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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However, the number of organisms eradicated and the types of organisms differ.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
5 Mar. 2026
-
And finally, externally, impacts from objects passing through our inner Solar System could wipe all of humanity out, just as so much terrestrial life was eradicated 65 million years ago.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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What father would ever allow such devastation, assuring fellow patriarchs that their lives without sons would be ruined forever?—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2026
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Burd and Batalucco have essentially ruined their home by placing cameras everywhere so Friends Keep Secrets can always be capturing whoever is wherever.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Davis believes her ex-husband was murdered, although a coroner ruled his death an overdose, the attorney said.—
Jessica Seaman,
Denver Post,
9 Mar. 2026
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Murder is only a federal crime under certain circumstances, including when a person is murdered to prevent them or someone else from sharing information with federal authorities.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Islanders had erased 2-0 deficits in each of their last three wins, but the Ducks kept them off the board in part by killing three penalties in the second period.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The Tigers erased an 11-point halftime deficit in the third quarter, knotting the contest at 33-33 before running out of gas — just as Bama was mashing the pedal to the floor.—
The Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The biggest difference is that the old Kop terrace, which stood derelict for years, has finally been demolished, with a new stand now under construction.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
-
After swinging through a slider on the first pitch, Guerrero demolished a low, inside curveball into the concourse over the left-field seats for a two-run homer that made it 4-1.—
Noah Gulley,
Miami Herald,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Regional American wines are a strength of this particular list, and cocktails are sensible and executed with an eye to matching the caliber of the food.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 Mar. 2026
-
On April 21, 1996, Russian forces executed one of the most precise assassinations of the modern era.—
Robert A. Pape In The Los Angeles Times,
Arkansas Online,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rubbed out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubbed%20out. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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