rubout 1 of 2

noun

Definition of ruboutnext
as in murder
the intentional and unlawful taking of another person's life the mafia boss ordered a rubout as casually as you might order a pizza

Synonyms & Similar Words

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rub out

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to destroy
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of aerial bombs rubbed out the oil refinery

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to assassinate
to put to death deliberately an elaborate setup to rub out rival mobsters

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to eradicate
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 rubout
Noun
Investigators suspect Robinson wanted the rubout. — Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
The News started a morning edition to rub out its competitor. — Tim Kiska, Detroit Free Press, 21 Dec. 2024 Apply additional pressure while attempting to rub out these stains, but don't go crazy. — Gia Yetikyel, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2024 See All Example Sentences for rubout
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubout
  1. murder
  2. destroy
  3. assassinate
  4. eradicate
  5. homicide
  6. ruin
  7. slay
  8. erase
Noun
  • The 63-year-old Davis was convicted Monday of murder with the use of a deadly weapon and could be sentenced to life in prison.
    — Jonathan Landrum Jr, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Clancy, 36, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder in the January 2023 strangulation deaths of her three children – Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months – at the family's Duxbury, Massachusetts, home.
    — Melina Khan, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of murder
Verb
  • In 2025, Ukraine smuggled over 100 drones into Russia inside cargo trucks to conduct strikes that damaged or destroyed roughly one-third of Russia’s active bomber fleet and caused approximately $7 billion in damages.
    — Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Some 36,000 houses and buildings were destroyed or damaged, and more than 2,000 people are still living in evacuation centers, including school gymnasiums and community centers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of destroy
Verb
  • Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk, will stand trial after a Utah judge ruled Tuesday that prosecutors presented enough evidence to move forward on all seven charges against him.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • After Kirk was assassinated, the Congressional Black Caucus put out a statement condemning political violence.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of assassinate
Verb
  • For decades, deer had populated Santa Rosa Island, but they were eradicated from the island at the end of 2011 to restore its native ecosystem and protect its natural vegetation.
    — Noe Padilla, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Within a year of its onset, the economic depression practically eradicated the need to mint any new coinage for months.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of eradicate
Noun
  • Troopers from the New Jersey State Police Marine Bureau arrested Kevin Wells, 40, of Warren, New Jersey, on Friday, charging him with vehicular homicide and two counts of assault by vessel while intoxicated.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The 10-episode drama stars Liev Schreiber as Jonah Lynn, a former soldier turned homicide detective who moves to a small town in western Pennsylvania after working the tough streets of Philadelphia.
    — Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of homicide
Verb
  • The fight between a small Georgia community and tech giant Meta has escalated this week after four families filed a lawsuit against the company alleging a central Georgia data center project has contaminated their water and ruined their home values.
    — Irene Wright, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Gen, forgetting her swollen wrist, perks up at the thought of having a new person to ruin sheets with.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of ruin
Verb
  • For the same price, fans can purchase a Sean Taylor T-Shirt with the likeness of the former safety in his Redskins uniform before he was tragically slain in 2007.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Amber Gates, the mother of slain inmate Charles Gates, 27, alleges CoreCivic employees failed in their duty to keep prisoners safe.
    — Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of slay
Verb
  • But Bama followed with a 38-3 quarterfinal flop to Indiana, erasing any momentum and placing DeBoer squarely under the microscope entering a pivotal third season.
    — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The 68-year-old also lost her husband and her son, who worked at a local hydropower plant, in the flash floods that hit the region on Wednesday, erasing entire communities.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of erase

Browse Nearby Words

rubicund
rubout
rub out
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rubout.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubout. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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