rubbing out

present participle of rub out
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubbing out
Verb
  • The former screen siren was fined nearly $25,000 in 2008 after being convicted of provoking discrimination and racial hatred for writing that Muslims are destroying her country.
    Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Block destruction is one of Minter’s defensive pillars, and the Chargers have not been destroying blocks on some of these explosive runs.
    Daniel Popper, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The episode’s final moments are of Godolkin walking the campus, draped in a blanket, murdering a student and ready to enact his ultimate plan for the future of supes.
    Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Gregory Szugyi, who also goes by Gregory Dubelle, had been charged with murdering 36-year-old Antonio Poole in an April 2024 shooting on Kennedy Street in Oakland.
    Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Water through fall and any herbicides applied will likely be more effective at eradicating weeds.
    Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2025
  • In July, after FilmLA’s contract was renewed for five more years despite opposition from some local public advocates, a host of measures aimed at streamlining and eradicating bureaucratic hurdles in the film permitting process was approved.
    Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Packages of flying tortillas thrown at the wrong time, or pocket knives, would only hurt a reputation that Texas Tech has worked doggedly to change and show that the Red Raiders are at home on a national stage, and not the crazy drunk uncle ruining a holiday.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Since 2021, Spotify has offered an alternative app for kids to listen to music without ruining their parents recommendations.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on a Utah college campus a month ago today, has asked a judge for permission to wear civilian clothes in court and to appear without shackles and cuffs.
    Michael Ruiz , Lee Ross, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Casual killings at point-blank range, vicious motorcycle jackings, tossing someone off a building, assassinating the actual Mark Cuban (playing himself) — this, in the movie, is what the good guys do.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025
  • On the other, a history-erasing far right.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Barner holds his arms parallel to the ground and swings them side to side while slowly stomping forward like Godzilla demolishing a city.
    Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Often, demolishing a former shopping mall can be easier for builders who might then decide to build luxury housing that does not address the current affordability crisis.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Polarity — on the verge of taking out Cipher — is surprised to discover that the man on the ground in front of him is just a regular human whose body was being puppeteered this whole time.
    Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2025
  • In the film, directed by Mike Judge, Peter Gibbons (Livingston) and his coworkers, Michael Bolton (David Herman) and Samir Nagheenanajar (Ajay Naidu), enjoy the last day at their job by taking out years of frustrations on their frequently malfunctioning office printer.
    Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
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.

Cite this Entry

“Rubbing out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubbing%20out. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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