RUBS Synonyms: 130 Similar and Opposite Words

rubs 1 of 2

noun

plural of rub

as in headaches

something that is a source of irritation even what seems to be a dream job usually turns out to have its fair share of rubs

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rubs

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of rub

as in wears

to damage or diminish by continued friction the brake pads were rubbed away as a result of years of use

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in grinds

to make smooth by friction the furniture restorer rubbed the board perfectly smooth with sandpaper

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in polishes

to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure the butler rubbed the silver tea set until it gleamed

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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 rubs

Noun

And be sure to check age restrictions before using any products on children — baby and child chest rubs will be formulated with gentler ingredients. — Andee Tagle, NPR, 15 Oct. 2026 While Bo could often be won over with a treat, the Obamas said Sunny preferred attention and playtime, including running around with the family, rolling on the floor and getting belly rubs. — ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026 Signpost buck sign, including rubs and scrapes, is used and revisited throughout the year. — Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 10 Sep. 2026 The beloved mascot of Pocasset Hardware, Franklin wins everyone over with his ultra-friendly personality, generous kisses and endless requests for belly rubs. — Staff Author Updated, PEOPLE, 28 July 2026 Anything below 20,000 double rubs may wear down faster and is better suited to a bouclé loveseat, accent chair or other low-traffic piece of bouclé furniture. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026 Look for at least 30,000 double rubs for a sofa that will see everyday use. — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 21 July 2026 The posh pup has a home in the lobby and outside the front entrance, and sits (and stays) at the ready for belly rubs. — Andrew Sessa, Robb Report, 2 July 2026 Winning has afforded him opportunities to sell and market a line of spice rubs, sauces, glazes, seasonings, baths, brines, and injectables. — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 July 2026

Verb

Vapor rubs containing combinations of camphor, eucalyptus and menthol oils may provide some relief for nighttime cough and cold symptoms when applied to the chest and neck. — Andee Tagle, NPR, 15 Oct. 2026 There’s a slickness to the carnage that rubs uncomfortably against the film’s humanist ethos, rendering artificial (for all Shen Teng’s trembling and mouth-contorting labors) the horrific tragedies that befall its characters. — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026 Achord stands behind Smack each time and, before one kick, rubs his belly with his other hand over his head as some sort of signal. — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 But during the following two years, Van Lith saw only gigantic tracks and adrenaline-inspiring antler rubs that had been left behind by the buck of his dreams. — Jeff Murray, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026 Hundreds of bottles of hot sauce and meat rubs line the exterior walls. — Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 2 Aug. 2026 Edward rubs his lamb with turmeric, Aleppo chile powder, salt and pepper. — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026 The nurse rubs circles on her lower back, clucking at the struggle of turning the pregnant body to the side like a lopsided gourd. — Literary Hub, 25 June 2026 Every texture is an independent agent with its own membrane in the mix; percussion rubs and scrapes against your attention, while mutating synth patches burble in the periphery. — H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 16 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubs

Noun

The area is one of the most notorious traffic headaches in the country, with the mountains dividing the bustling Westside employment hub from the San Fernando Valley.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Those headaches create headwinds, but the underlying story provides support.

— Michael Khouw, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of headaches

Verb

Among the terminated is a welder, Choi Ho-seok (Sul Kyung-gu), who wears a frown so implacable that it might have been etched in steel.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
Doncic loves his two daughters — Gabriela, 2, and Olivia, 10 months — and wears their initials on his shoes during games.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of wears

Verb

For anyone who grinds fresh every morning and chases single-origin lots, online talk about mold and mycotoxins in coffee tends to raise a practical question about how the stuff gets onto beans in the first place.

— Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
The annual College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), the country’s most important academic event, grinds the nation to almost a halt to ensure the smooth administration of the exam.

— Lim Hui Jie,Miko Jang, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of grinds

Verb

While a classic button-down shirt is always timeless, a peplum top offers the same wearability with a waist-defining silhouette that instantly polishes any bottom they’re paired with.

— Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026
The PowerPaste polishes and protects more delicate surfaces, while the Tangerine Clean is more abrasive for serious scrubbing.

— Brittany VanDerBill, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 July 2026

Definition of polishes

Noun

Cue an enthralling chase sequence, doubling back through those higgledy-piggledy Portland streetscapes, toward the woods — the impenetrable thickets and thorns of which magically part in her presence.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Grace Carroll gives a poignant performance as the Nightingale—borne aloft with arched back and trembling, outstretched hands by other dancers, who play thorns that pierce her breast—and Adam Elmes makes a seductively sinister Dorian Gray.

— Hannah Aizenman, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of thorns

Verb

Dench was first diagnosed in 2012 with macular degeneration, a retinal disease that erodes one’s central vision and is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness in people over 65.

— Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026
Keep an eye on the number of dissenting votes, higher disagreement directly erodes the market's confidence in the Fed's decision.

— Justin Zacks, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of erodes

Verb

Thorn cuts the pieces for his puzzle-style artworks, sands them, paints them, then glues them into a frame.

— Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026
Sawdust sprays as Matt Sams meticulously sands the edges of a balcony railing that will soon be affixed to the front of a house.

— Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 23 Feb. 2026

Definition of sands

Verb

All of this pillow talk smooths Kate’s path to selling Hal on her idea of extracting the bodies from the Russian sub.

— Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026
The setup smooths the music’s flux without sacrificing the flavor of all the places and styles the album spans.

— Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026