RUBBING OUT Synonyms: 210 Similar and Opposite Words

rubbing out

verb

present participle of rub out

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in murdering

to put to death deliberately an elaborate setup to rub out rival mobsters

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in eradicating

to destroy all traces of a promise to rub out the city's drug trade

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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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubbing out

Verb

The show was filmed across Northern Ireland, and the weather proved to be brutal, with the rain constantly destroying sets that had to be rebuilt.

— Matt Minton, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026
The Ukrainian defenders repelled the attack and posted video footage of their kamikaze drone strikes destroying at least seven T-72B3A tanks, including some that carried the Arena-M system, according to Euromaidan Press.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of destroying

Verb

After the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned Murdaugh’s conviction for murdering his wife and son earlier this year -- citing jury tampering by the court clerk in the case -- Judge Debra McCaslin scheduled his retrial for April 5, 2027.

— Janice McDonald, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
He is separately charged in New York state court with murdering Thompson and other counts.

— Dan Mangan, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of murdering

Verb

Tlaib is also a prominent critic of Israel; her rhetoric has been chastised by Jewish colleagues as an antisemitic call for eradicating Jews, a charge the congresswoman and her supporters reject.

— Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
That method, called Sterile Insect Technique, was originally successful in eradicating flies from the United States and Central America and pushing the screwworm population back beyond the Darién Gap at the border of Panama and Colombia.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of eradicating

Verb

Utah prosecutors are turning up the heat on Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk, arguing that the evidence against him easily meets the standard required to send the case to trial.

— Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026
Ferrell instead starred as the villainous mogul Jacobim Mugatu, who attempts to brainwash Derek into assassinating the prime minister of Malaysia.

— Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026

Definition of assassinating

Verb

Triodos Bank warns the extreme weather could reduce EU GDP by approximately €180 billion, effectively erasing forecast growth.

— Jamie Hailstone, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Pride in place and purpose really does mean something, and erasing Anaheim from the name diminishes not only my community, but what this fan base stands for.

— Noe Padilla, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of erasing

Verb

In 2018 a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 fan blade snapped, shattering a window and sucking a woman’s head and torso outside of the plane.

— Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Ace protected the three deputies from Bowers but was shot in his left front leg, shattering the bone and tearing an artery that caused massive blood loss.

— Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of shattering

Verb

Then, when taking out the money, the account holder will have to pay taxes on the withdrawal as ordinary income.

— Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 12 Aug. 2026
The humanoid robots, dressed in black Tau Robotics uniforms and given names such as Chelsea and Elon, perform household chores like vacuuming, cleaning kitchen counters and taking out the trash.

— Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026