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
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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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Though most of his property was destroyed in the fire, a carnival operator named Bunny Gibbons bought Gein's car and charged 25 cents for people to view it until authorities shut down the operation.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
7 Oct. 2025
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The Gaza Strip itself has been nearly leveled, with the United Nations estimating 78% of structures having been damaged or destroyed, leaving a monumental task of rebuilding for whoever will govern the enclave next.—
Emily Feng,
NPR,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Abe – widely seen as Japan’s last stable leader, having ruled for nearly nine years – was assassinated in 2022.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
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Way to honor the civil rights leader nearly 20 years after he was assassinated.—
Maura Fox,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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FellinAI‘s first feature, The Sweet Idleness, imagines a world in which machines have eradicated 99% of jobs, leaving humans to a life of leisure.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
2 Oct. 2025
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That misconception must be eradicated from our society.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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All the problems getting into the ground ruined the trip a bit.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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In 1950s Washington, the moral entrepreneurs were members of Congress and expert witnesses who labeled people Soviet collaborators and ruined many of their lives.—
Ron Barrett,
The Conversation,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Get murdered, my death inspiring troops to battlefield glory.—
Caity Weaver,
The Atlantic,
8 Oct. 2025
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Jeffrey Murdoch portrays Ed Kemper, a serial killer who murdered 10 people, including his own grandparents and mother, according to The New York Times.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Mariners erased an 8-1 Toronto lead in Game 2 to complete a sweep, celebrating the comeback by locking arms around the pitcher’s mound.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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What’s being erased are actual historical facts.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The West Fond du Lac Avenue bar, which was once a popular hangout for Black musicians and Milwaukee police officers alike, was demolished in April.—
Mary Spicuzza,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
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The Jokake Inn closed in the late 1970s and was demolished, except for its Pueblo revival-style belfry towers, which were incorporated into The Phoenician.—
Douglas C. Towne,
AZCentral.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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When executed properly, the process triggers endless reactions to make energy for electricity.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
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Jones looks comfortable in Indianapolis’ system and has executed with confidence both as a passer and ball-carrier.—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rubbed out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubbed%20out. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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