1
as in destroying
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 murdering
to put to death deliberately
an elaborate setup to rub out rival mobsters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in eradicating
to destroy all traces of
a promise to rub out the city's drug trade
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rubbing out
Also on the trail is a gangster named Clyde (John Magaro), who’s been sent to redo the job of rubbing out the mysteriously undead Ida.
—
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubbing out
Verb
-
Neighbors like Vetsch off Marion Road are convinced that's what hit their neighborhood, destroying multiple homes.—
Conor Wight,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Voting out the party that has been destroying our country must be our only focus.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Orange County jury that found Demorris Hunter guilty of murdering his girlfriend in 2002 unanimously recommended to send him to death row Tuesday after just over two hours of deliberations.—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 Apr. 2026
-
In May 2004, she was convicted of the 1995 murder of Glenn, and in 2007, she was convicted of murdering Randy.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This makes prediction markets the most useful and precise tool for eradicating exposing insider trading that has ever existed—a tool Congress should rely on heavily, not legislate out of existence.—
Nic Puckrin,
Fortune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
In Namibia, local authorities were producing millions of tons of wood chips while eradicating an invasive bush.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
These tenacious insects discreetly land on your skin, leaving sudden, itchy, and painful bites that can swell and turn red, ruining a perfectly pleasant outdoor evening.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
18 Apr. 2026
-
While the couple was able to laugh it off in the moment, the majority of comments on TikTok were negative, with people accusing Zach of being an attention-seeker and ruining the wedding.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The special will look into the stories of Luigi Mangione, who faces trial in the killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson; Tyler Robinson, accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk; and Robin Westman, accused of a mass shooting at a Catholic church in Minneapolis.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
15 Apr. 2026
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This comes on top of at least 15 years of US-Israel assassinating Iranian university scientists and their families.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But what was liberating was also erasing.—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
-
The major averages were on pace for sharp gains on Friday, with the S & P 500 on the verge of erasing its losses since the start of the Iran war.—
Darla Mercado, CFP®,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The following week at the San Jose Invitational, Wilkins broke his own world record on three consecutive throws, shattering the 70-meter and 230-feet barriers along the way.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
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The actress said that one night, her daughter, Luca, 28, witnessed her shattering framed photos of herself and Abrams and then using the glass shards to self-harm.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
He was also accused of saying something to the effect of taking out people in his way.—
City News Service,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Prosecutors said the scheme resulted in about $6 million in actual losses, with 11 suspects — including an Iranian and Azerbaijani national — accused of stealing victims’ identities, taking out mortgages on their homes and pocketing the cash.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rubbing out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubbing%20out. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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