Synonyms of rubbing

rubbing

verb

present participle of rub

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

• wearing
• eroding
• fraying
• reducing
• chafing
• abrading
• shaving
• scraping
• biting
• eating
• fretting
• erasing
• galling
• sharpening
• rasping
• corrading
• scuffing
• chewing
• filing
• gnawing
• nibbling
• sandpapering
• scouring
• grazing
• grinding
• sandblasting
• frazzling
• grating
• wiping (away)
• disintegrating
• corroding
• decomposing
• wearing out
• dissolving
• honing
• whetting
• rubbing out
• breaking down
• breaking up

2

as in grinding

to make smooth by friction

the furniture restorer rubbed the board perfectly smooth with sandpaper

Synonyms & Similar Words

• grinding
• polishing
• filing
• sanding
• sharpening
• scraping
• buffing
• honing
• rasping
• smoothing
• scouring
• shining
• planing
• glossing
• burnishing
• edging
• sandblasting
• dressing
• stropping
• whetting
• regrinding

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• scuffing
• roughing (up)
• roughening
• coarsening

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

• polishing
• smoothing
• scrubbing
• shining
• burnishing
• coating
• grinding
• buffing
• glossing
• scraping
• dressing
• furbishing
• sanding
• finishing
• bobbing
• smoothening
• slicking
• facing
• glazing
• varnishing
• filing
• sandpapering
• japanning
• brightening
• sleeking
• scouring
• lacquering
• veneering
• sandblasting
• lapping
• boning
• rasping

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ruffling
• roughing (up)
• scuffing (up)
• roughening

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of rubbing

One juror was rubbing his eyes as Sullivan talked, and another was clasping and unclasping his hands in his lap. — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026

Danger, Olivo, and Mosco had just eaten by the gazebo and Damaris was rubbing her pup’s head goodnight, about to go into the shack. — Literary Hub, 1 Sep. 2026

Cut branches that are crossing or rubbing to improve airflow. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 31 Aug. 2026

Dark, fade-prone clothes should also be turned inside out, as abrasion from rubbing against other clothes can cause fibers to fray, making clothes look faded. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 30 Aug. 2026

Fewer seams inside also help cut down on rubbing and irritation. — Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 30 Aug. 2026

Rubbing Alcohol Head to the drug store for a bottle of 70% isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol to clean windows. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 29 Aug. 2026

To do this, Hearns recommends applying tape in short sections to avoid stretching it too far, then firmly rubbing the tape edges down for a secure barrier (something like a plastic putty knife or a credit card works great). — Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Aug. 2026

The redyed fabrics showed uniform color uptake and washing and rubbing fastness comparable to the reference fabric, according to the study. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026