1
as in wearing
to damage or diminish by continued friction
the brake pads were rubbed away as a result of years of use
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in grinding
to make smooth by friction
the furniture restorer rubbed the board perfectly smooth with sandpaper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in polishing
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 rubbing
Pruning saws are great for thinning Japanese maple or crepe myrtle branches that might be rubbing on each other, shooting in the wrong direction, or obstructing a walkway.
—
Campbell Vaughn, USA Today, 15 Mar. 2026
Start by cutting off any branches that are diseased, dead, or broken, as well as those that are crossing and rubbing against each other.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 12 Mar. 2026
Prune off stems that are crossing or rubbing against one another.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
To help protect the strength of the tree, remove limbs that are crossing or rubbing against each other.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rubbing
Campbell Vaughn, USA Today, 15 Mar. 2026
Start by cutting off any branches that are diseased, dead, or broken, as well as those that are crossing and rubbing against each other.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 12 Mar. 2026
Prune off stems that are crossing or rubbing against one another.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
To help protect the strength of the tree, remove limbs that are crossing or rubbing against each other.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rubbing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubbing
Verb
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Other tips include riding defensively around cars, using front and rear lights, wearing reflective vests in the dark, and avoiding biking under the influence of drugs or alcohol.—
Sarah Raza,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
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Not if the other team comes out wearing Dallas sweaters.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Molino Los Hermanos hopes to start grinding in Uptown this summer.—
Louisa Kung Liu Chu,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
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In recent years, several demonstrations have expanded onto adjacent freeways, grinding traffic to a halt.—
Cierra Morgan,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Remove all oil residue from the nail beds before polishing.—
Ariana Yaptangco,
Glamour,
24 Feb. 2026
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Harsh Chemicals and Abrasive Cleaners Avoid using harsh chemicals and abrasive cleaners when cleaning and polishing wood flooring.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Because of that, Moody’s has taken a number of downward ratings actions against producers, because the oversupply eats away at margins and the capacity to pay debt is eroding.—
Kevin Williams,
CNBC,
28 Mar. 2026
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Rampant corruption is eroding voter confidence in Argentina and Mexico, whose leaders ran on anti-graft campaigns.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The amount beneficiaries receive varies based on several factors, including the number of people filing.—
Asher Notheis,
The Washington Examiner,
29 Mar. 2026
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For married couples filing jointly, the phaseout begins at $200,000 and ends at $250,000.—
Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Lorie Konish,Kamaron McNair,Greg Iacurci,Mike Winters,Sarah Agostino,
CNBC,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Hospitals that implemented smoothing elective admissions have reported millions of dollars in additional annual revenue.—
Eugene Litvak,
STAT,
27 Mar. 2026
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The end result is a lotion that hydrates while also preventing breakouts and smoothing rough texture over time.—
Hana Hong,
Glamour,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Friendships fraying, puberty unevenly invading our bodies in ways both private and horrifically public.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
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However, the bedding itself has held up well without any fraying threads or color fading.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After drying and sanding, the pieces are sealed and painted with complex patterns, geometric designs, and Zapotec symbols.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Mar. 2026
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But finishing work — sanding and shaping — generated heavy dust.—
Dr. Céline Gounder,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rubbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubbing. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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