1
as in washed
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2
as in scraped
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Dissimilar Words
as in canceled
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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Recent Examples of scrubbed
Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 25 May 2024
There were no young girls floating by in elegant dresses, no scrubbed and spoiled children dressed in their finery and dragged toward churches and pagodas, no whisper of music drifting out of windows.
—Chantha Nguon, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2024
The New England town of Fairwood is a seemingly scrubbed, pleasant, prosperous hamlet.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 20 Jan. 2024
Scrubs, which take their name from the fact they are worn in a scrubbed environment, according to a history of operating room attire from the American College of Surgeons, were first mentioned by a surgeon in 1894.
—New York Times, 9 June 2021
Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
Epstein realized the Beatles needed to be freshly scrubbed in order to play in the spaces controlled by the entertainment elders who booked bands and controlled the old‑school show‑business platforms.
—Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
Your countertops get wiped down daily, your floors stay spick-and-span, and your stove gets scrubbed on the regular.
—Libby Monteith Minor, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
But ground teams detected the helium leak in Starliner's service module in the aftermath of the scrubbed countdown.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 25 May 2024
There were no young girls floating by in elegant dresses, no scrubbed and spoiled children dressed in their finery and dragged toward churches and pagodas, no whisper of music drifting out of windows.
—Chantha Nguon, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2024
The New England town of Fairwood is a seemingly scrubbed, pleasant, prosperous hamlet.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 20 Jan. 2024
Scrubs, which take their name from the fact they are worn in a scrubbed environment, according to a history of operating room attire from the American College of Surgeons, were first mentioned by a surgeon in 1894.
—New York Times, 9 June 2021
Verb
The Saturday launch attempt scrubbed under a minute before liftoff because of bad weather in the booster recovery area.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
Epstein realized the Beatles needed to be freshly scrubbed in order to play in the spaces controlled by the entertainment elders who booked bands and controlled the old‑school show‑business platforms.
—Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
Your countertops get wiped down daily, your floors stay spick-and-span, and your stove gets scrubbed on the regular.
—Libby Monteith Minor, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrubbed
Adjective
-
This duvet cover gives bedding setups a relaxed yet elevated look with its pre-washed, drapey design.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Since the vegetables are pre-washed, chopped, and handled more during processing, there is a higher risk of contamination.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Book of Mormon has canceled this week’s Tuesday and Wednesday performances due to a fire that damaged the Eugene O’Neill Theatre on Monday morning.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
4 May 2026
-
Which meant that Special was renewed and canceled on the same phone call.—
Ryan O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Just seven days’ exposure to shipping noise weakens the immune systems of blue mussels; but a process called acoustic enrichment, broadcasting the sound of a healthy reef, can attract marine life back to a bleached one, restitching the acoustic fabric of an entire ecosystem.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Nicholas Hoult beams with his bleached hair and Prada button-up courtside at the Lakers versus Cleveland Cavaliers game in Los Angeles on March 31.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Recalling the English folk motif of the tree as possessing healing powers, a clump of soil dug up from an orchard in Lothlórien is used to replenish the scoured Shire.—
Ellen Walker,
JSTOR Daily,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
And Sylvie, who still gazes with utmost tenderness at a black-and-white photograph, taken during her time abroad, of a nameless wailing Russian child, has permanently abandoned her own daughter by refusing to visit her.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Those plans were set aside, however, when Diamantis arrived in federal court earlier this month for a hearing and abandoned a plan to change his plea to guilty.—
Andrew Brown,
Hartford Courant,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Fill the crack in the door with the epoxy wood filler, spreading a small bit of the paste over the sanded area to help close and bond the edges of the crack together.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
LeVota, who recently scrapped plans to run for a full term, proposed the idea in a letter to four state senators from Jackson County, top Governor’s Office staff and the leaders of the Missouri House.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
4 May 2026
-
Family shopping jaunts that were once leisurely affairs are being scrapped in favor of quick trips during off-hours to grab essentials and go home, suffering business owners say.—
Roger Vincent,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2026
Adjective
-
Rub a small amount of oil, like mayonnaise or vegetable oil, on the whitened area; natural oils should suffice.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scrubbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrubbed. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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