SCRUB Synonyms: 70 Similar and Opposite Words

scrub 1 of 2

verb

Definition of scrub

as in to scrap

to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to) the outdoor art project was scrubbed when the organizers found out they needed permission from city hall

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

scrub

2 of 2

noun

ˈskrəb

as in toy

something (such as an animal) much smaller than others of its kind that scrub of a mutt turned out to be the smartest dog we ever had

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 scrub

Verb

Use a circular motion to clean the surface, and don’t scrub too hard. — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2026 Previously, Ars reported on a controversial dataset that was later scrubbed after researchers found CSAM in the training data, but there’s no indication xAI trained on that data. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026

Noun

The three offerings are in addition to a healthy range of typical spa choices like massages, scrubs, facials, red light therapy, dry brushing and more. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026 On top of the $255 registration fee, the 26-year-old bartender also had to pay for a background check, scrubs, a stethoscope, special shoes and a state certification exam — all while working half as much to make time for her classes. — ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scrub

Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrub

Verb

But for my money, few players bring a more impactful set of skills to a club scrapping to stay in the Premier League.

— David Ornstein, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
But Cargill, Michin and B-Fab have continuously been scrapping with Flair, Bliss and Paxley with Cargill and Flair seemingly fighting for the top contender spot to Chelsea Green’s women’s title.

— Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of scrap

Noun

Freiden, who’s also the CEO of children’s toy brand Constructive Playthings, said changing interests in children’s birthday parties and a spike in rent contributed to the closure.

— Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026
Robert Ebendorf’s 2010 Untitled Daguerreotype Brooch combines a daguerreotype with copper, plastic, and a crab claw, while his Birthday Necklace incorporates repurposed jewelry and toy railroad tracks.

— Livia Caligor, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of toy

Noun

The image, captured a year earlier by the Hubble Space Telescope, showed UGC 9050-Dw1, a dwarf galaxy some 115 million light-years from Earth.

— Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Watching all ten members sing at once is funny the way the seven dwarves all sleeping in their little beds next to each other is funny.

— Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of dwarf

Verb

To reach the quarterfinals in New York, Zheng had to accept her newfound station in tennis — not to abandon her confidence for the sake of humility, but to combine her natural self-belief with acceptance of her reality and a new perspective.

— Ava Wallace, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Masson credited the town’s surveillance cameras with capturing the fleeing pair abandoning at least one of the paintings and the city’s police force with a quick response.

— News Desk, Artforum, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of abandon

Noun

The more common nickname, El Mencho, is said to be a diminutive of his first name, Nemesio.

— Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Another gender-neutral name that had a burst of popularity in the ‘80s and ‘90s, Jamie was a go-to for girls or a diminutive of James for boys.

— Kara Nesvig, Parents, 20 Feb. 2026

Definition of diminutive

Verb

The Clippers, meanwhile, were hit with a $30 million fine, had five first-round draft picks revoked, saw Ballmer suspended for a year, and (in addition to Frank) longtime business president Gillian Zucker suspended for a year without pay.

— Law Murray, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Under state law, educators who abandon their contracts after a deadline of 45 calendar days before the start of school could be subject to penalties, including potentially having their teaching certification revoked for one year.

— Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of revoke

Verb

In 2025 DeSantis pushed lawmakers to repeal a 2014 law offering qualified undocumented immigrants entering universities in-state tuition rates.

— Ana Goñi-Lessan, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026
That same month, the Pentagon moved to repeal the Stripes regulations that protected the outlet’s editorial independence.

— Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of repeal

Browse Nearby Words

scroungy

scrub

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“Scrub.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrub. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of scrub

verb

noun

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