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
2
as in murdering
to put to death deliberately
an elaborate setup to rub out rival mobsters
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubbing out
Verb
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That trust was put to the test in 1976, when the Teton Dam failed, and more than 80 billion gallons of water spilled out of the breached reservoir, killing six people in Rexburg and destroying hundreds of millions of dollars of property.—
Northwest River Partners,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Feb. 2026 -
After the phone was seized, investigators determined Johnson used an online account or third-party service to remotely wipe the device, destroying potential evidence.—
Adrienne Davis,
jsonline.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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William Stevenson, reportedly former first lady Jill Biden's ex-husband, was arrested and charged with murdering his current wife, authorities said Tuesday.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
3 Feb. 2026
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This wave of destruction culminated in Vikernes murdering a rival and former bandmate, stabbing him twenty-three times.—
Rachel Wetzler,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Washington’s cut to funding for a global vaccine alliance could undo decades of progress in the fight against malaria, just as several African nations approach eradicating the disease.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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The country built some of the world’s most futuristic highways and was early in eradicating malaria.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The mist dissipates around a room instead of spewing out like a wet stream, which keeps Alpert worry-free about ruining her wooden bed frame.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
6 Feb. 2026
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In fact, for some items, a standard cold wash can be ruining.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Days later, Trump, much to the surprise of even his own advisers, responded by assassinating Iran’s top military commander, Qassem Soleimani, in Iraq.—
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
31 Jan. 2026
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In Michocán in the fall, the Jalisco cartel is accused of assassinating a prominent mayor who had vowed to hold criminals accountable.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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,
6 Feb. 2026
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The price of bitcoin plunged more than 10% on Thursday, sinking the world's largest cryptocurrency to its lowest level since October 2024 and erasing sizable gains made since then.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But a drone had hit one of its salons, shattering a heating pipe and flooding the premises.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
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The new Wade is an endlessly wisecracking chatterbox, shattering the fourth wall with gleeful abandon.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And people-proofing cars has proven harder than anyone might have imagined when Chicagoans were taking out their Model T’s for Sunday drives on the Mother Road.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
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Video evidence and sworn witness testimony indicate Pretti approached law enforcement during their altercation with other civilians, filming the incident on his phone but never taking out his gun or acting violently toward officers.—
Alison Durkee,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Rubbing out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubbing%20out. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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