as in cancelling
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 scrubbing
Follow this by scrubbing with soapy water.
—
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2025
Our editors have been sharing cleaning advice for more than a century, but not all of the scrubbing methods have stood the test of time.
—Emily Williams, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Oct. 2025
Berrien did not stop following any of his business associates when scrubbing other individuals from his account.
—Daniel Bice, jsonline.com, 22 Sep. 2025
Those comments were seemingly enough to spook Nexstar into scrubbing the feed, as the independent journalist Oliver Darcy reported in his newsletter, Status — although Nexstar has since denied that its decision was influenced by Carr’s remarks or by FCC pressure.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
Rinse the clams under cold water, gently scrubbing them clean.
—Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025
Doc is scrubbing in for season 2.
—Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 14 Sep. 2025
This process lifts stains without increasing their surface area, which can be an issue when scrubbing by hand with a cloth or brush.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025
She was intubated for nearly a week while medical staff at Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola worked to save her, including repeatedly scrubbing and cleaning out her leg to remove any dying tissue.
—Mollye Barrows, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2025
Our editors have been sharing cleaning advice for more than a century, but not all of the scrubbing methods have stood the test of time.
—Emily Williams, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Oct. 2025
Berrien did not stop following any of his business associates when scrubbing other individuals from his account.
—Daniel Bice, jsonline.com, 22 Sep. 2025
Those comments were seemingly enough to spook Nexstar into scrubbing the feed, as the independent journalist Oliver Darcy reported in his newsletter, Status — although Nexstar has since denied that its decision was influenced by Carr’s remarks or by FCC pressure.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
Rinse the clams under cold water, gently scrubbing them clean.
—Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025
Doc is scrubbing in for season 2.
—Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 14 Sep. 2025
This process lifts stains without increasing their surface area, which can be an issue when scrubbing by hand with a cloth or brush.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025
She was intubated for nearly a week while medical staff at Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola worked to save her, including repeatedly scrubbing and cleaning out her leg to remove any dying tissue.
—Mollye Barrows, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrubbing
Verb
-
The director provided no indication what his next big-screen project would be after scrapping The Critic back in April 2024.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Congress is ending tax benefits for solar, and the administration is scrapping a $7 billion program that helped low-income families install rooftop panels.—
Ivan Penn,
New York Times,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Still, large pools of undeployed capital remain available, and major institutional players show little sign of abandoning real estate as a core asset class.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Democrats returned to Washington to demonstrate unity and accuse GOP leaders of abandoning negotiations.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Hours later, his administration began canceling hundreds of NEA grants to arts groups across the country.—
Helen Molesworth,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The noise-cancelling setting ensures jam sessions won’t be interrupted by outside disturbances.—
Melody Kazel,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Over the last five years, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services has brought hundreds of fraud cases that are heavily reliant on transactional data with the goal of revoking people’s food benefits.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
30 Sep. 2025
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Earlier this month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed revoking requirements for companies to report greenhouse gas emissions.—
Max Rego,
The Hill,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
San-ho enters the code, aborting the strike.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The strategist noted that Youngkin’s message on parental rights and education is often the main takeaway from his campaign, but there were other important messages, including repealing the state’s grocery tax.—
Julia Manchester,
The Hill,
28 Sep. 2025
-
There is little action that could be forced upon these platforms with today’s Section 230 protections for third-party content, but there is growing Republican support for reforming, or even repealing, the law.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scrubbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrubbing. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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