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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rubbing
Sara Aparacio, a resident cleaning expert at Homeaglow, equates scrubbing an appliance with an abrasive sponge to rubbing it with very fine sandpaper.
—
Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 11 Apr. 2026
People also can catch typhus by breathing in flea dirt or rubbing it into their eyes, the agency said.
—Don Sweeney
april 8, Sacbee.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Visitors to aquariums may notice that sea otters often blow bubbles and spin while rubbing their fur.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Apr. 2026
My hands are almost rubbing [the ground] sometimes.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rubbing
Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 11 Apr. 2026
People also can catch typhus by breathing in flea dirt or rubbing it into their eyes, the agency said.
—Don Sweeney
april 8, Sacbee.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Visitors to aquariums may notice that sea otters often blow bubbles and spin while rubbing their fur.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Apr. 2026
My hands are almost rubbing [the ground] sometimes.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rubbing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubbing
Verb
-
One image showed Alba enjoying a more casual meal with her pal while wearing an LA baseball cap.—
Sarah Sotoodeh,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
-
Emma Bailey Leary, who manages events for Bart’s Books, the town’s storied outdoor bookshop, wandered in wearing head-to-toe fuchsia.—
Priyanka Mattoo,
Travel + Leisure,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Their experiments confirmed that adding a single squirt of water to coffee beans before grinding can significantly reduce the static electric charge on the resulting grounds.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
28 Apr. 2026
-
This stock was a disaster from May 2025 through the November lows near $48, losing roughly half its value in a grinding downtrend.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While rivals like the Tacoma and Colorado constantly reinvent themselves, Nissan tends to take the long road by refining, tweaking, and polishing instead of blowing everything up every few years.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
3 May 2026
-
Various owners have taken the reins over the years, but all were committed to preserving the bar’s old-school character rather than polishing, upgrading, or updating it away.—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sometimes, both groups split the cost of major repairs, like recent upgrades to the eroding south porch.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
8 May 2026
-
The move has raised concerns about eroding the freedom of navigation on which global trade depends.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The amount beneficiaries receive varies based on several factors, including the number of people filing.—
Adisa Hargett-Robinson,
The Washington Examiner,
10 May 2026
-
Anyone filing a 2025 tax return had an opportunity to file a Form 4547, but millions of low-income Americans don’t file tax returns.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Duffy has said the system could help planners spot problems weeks in advance, smoothing schedules before delays begin to stack up.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
-
The smoothing fabric is flattering at the waist and thighs, and the flare bottoms provide just enough of a pop of style to make these jeans fun, but still appropriate for just about any setting.—
Taylor Fox,
Travel + Leisure,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
The dobby border reinforces vulnerable areas, helping prevent fraying and stretching over time.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
8 May 2026
-
The mayor’s veto eliminated a measure to reduce public hostility at a time of toxic divisions fraying the city.—
Andrew Cuomo,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Embrace the act of adding to a work table's patina, let your copper sit on display, and don't worry about sanding and re-staining old wood.—
Tessa Cooper,
The Spruce,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The technique still needs sanding, and zero interceptions in 48 career games is concerning, but McCutchin’s combine testing gave his draft case a nice shot of nitrous.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rubbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubbing. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
