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
This research doesn't offer a fix, though the internet has plenty of advice that may be risky, including rubbing soap or a dryer sheet on the soles.
—
ABC News, 25 Feb. 2026
Velovic, 25, was initially rubbing Donaldson, 51, the wrong way but the two also had a nice moment later in the episode.
—Christopher Kuhagen, jsonline.com, 25 Feb. 2026
Avoid aggressively rubbing to protect fabric fibers.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 21 Feb. 2026
However, these were among six restaurants and one food truck in Broward and Palm Beach counties that made the emergency closure list, with issues ranging from roaches crawling around kitchens to employees not washing their hands (one after rubbing/smashing a dead roach with their fingers).
—Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rubbing
ABC News, 25 Feb. 2026
Velovic, 25, was initially rubbing Donaldson, 51, the wrong way but the two also had a nice moment later in the episode.
—Christopher Kuhagen, jsonline.com, 25 Feb. 2026
Avoid aggressively rubbing to protect fabric fibers.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 21 Feb. 2026
However, these were among six restaurants and one food truck in Broward and Palm Beach counties that made the emergency closure list, with issues ranging from roaches crawling around kitchens to employees not washing their hands (one after rubbing/smashing a dead roach with their fingers).
—Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rubbing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubbing
Verb
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Jeffrey’s wife, known as Shambles, operates the puppets from behind the curtain, while wearing their 5-year-old daughter, known as Crumbo, in a sling.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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Communications student Loane Concy Clementia recently stood outside the Rabanne show at Paris Fashion Week, wearing a black bra, a white lace and satin skirt and a white fur bomber off the shoulder.—
Madeleine Schulz,
Vogue,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Trailblazers were grinding the whole second half, wearing down Harvard-Westlake players as the loud home fans cheered them on.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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And that was one of the goals going into the game — just keep grinding the entire game.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 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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State leaders seem to care more about the undocumented, DEI, Don’t Say Gay, redistricting, Hope Florida and school vouchers while our coastlines are eroding.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Mar. 2026
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Judge Salas told us vilifying judges is eroding trust in the courts.—
Heather Abbott,
CBS News,
2 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,
9 Mar. 2026
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Rovelo-Gallegos won his freedom by filing for habeas corpus, a court petition that challenges the legality of a person’s detention.—
Kristen Taketa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Among the products her hairstylist used to craft the style, the Nexxus Keraphix Liquid Crystallizer Hair Serum stood out as a great protective, smoothing serum that would fit in anyone’s haircare routine.—
Kaitlin Clapinski,
InStyle,
6 Mar. 2026
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Anything above 220 is considered fine and works well for smoothing edges and buffing the nail surface to a polished finish.—
Lily Wohlner,
Allure,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The fraying ties prompted Islamabad to return almost three million Afghan nationals in recent months, straining Kabul’s scant resources.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
3 Mar. 2026
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The finest pitching prospect since Ubaldo Jimenez became undone, fraying at the seams as part of a rotation that should be buried underneath the batting cages at Salt River Fields and never be spoken of again.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Age has a way of mellowing a person, sanding away their rough edges, leaving only their essence.—
Stephen Thomas Erlewine,
Pitchfork,
2 Mar. 2026
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City of Dallas has only eight snow plows The city of Dallas has only eight snow plows and about 100 sanding trucks for 11,700 lane miles of roads, forcing it to prioritize.—
Julia James,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rubbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubbing. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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