as in scrapping
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scrubbing
Now, industry eyerolling at the thought of listening faster has existed since the majority of audio storytelling moved from terrestrial radio—where there’s no skipping, scrubbing forward or backward, and certainly no way to speed things up—to podcasting.
—
Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
Somebody is in the kitchen scrubbing your cast-iron pan with dish soap.
—Laura L. Davis, Nashville Tennessean, 31 Oct. 2025
Personal data removal services can help reduce your exposure by scrubbing this information from hundreds of these sites.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Simply soak a fresh sheet in water for 10 to 15 minutes before scrubbing away.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2025
Machitar finally took the boots, picked up a cotton swab and started scrubbing.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Oct. 2025
Work in Long Vertical and Horizontal Strokes People often think that scrubbing glass vigorously is what prevents pesky streaks, but the opposite is true.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Oct. 2025
The formula’s packed with skin-loving ingredients like glycerin, jojoba seed oil, rosehip oil, and sodium hyaluronate to bring back hydration after scrubbing away layers of shimmer and stage makeup, while probiotics help keep the skin barrier happy.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 14 Oct. 2025
The dock takes care of the gross stuff with hot water mop washing, self-cleaning, and warm-air drying, so you’re not left scrubbing dirty pads by hand.
—PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2025
Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
Somebody is in the kitchen scrubbing your cast-iron pan with dish soap.
—Laura L. Davis, Nashville Tennessean, 31 Oct. 2025
Personal data removal services can help reduce your exposure by scrubbing this information from hundreds of these sites.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Simply soak a fresh sheet in water for 10 to 15 minutes before scrubbing away.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2025
Machitar finally took the boots, picked up a cotton swab and started scrubbing.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Oct. 2025
Work in Long Vertical and Horizontal Strokes People often think that scrubbing glass vigorously is what prevents pesky streaks, but the opposite is true.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Oct. 2025
The formula’s packed with skin-loving ingredients like glycerin, jojoba seed oil, rosehip oil, and sodium hyaluronate to bring back hydration after scrubbing away layers of shimmer and stage makeup, while probiotics help keep the skin barrier happy.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 14 Oct. 2025
The dock takes care of the gross stuff with hot water mop washing, self-cleaning, and warm-air drying, so you’re not left scrubbing dirty pads by hand.
—PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrubbing
Verb
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The company ended up scrapping it and keeping its old branding.—
Josh Feldman,
NBC news,
30 Dec. 2025
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The White House says scrapping prior legal pathways and protections is part of its goal.—
Ximena Bustillo,
NPR,
23 Dec. 2025
Verb
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However, that action then sparked outrage among many residents who felt the city was abandoning homeless residents, while also trying to push them to other cities.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
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At the same time, demand for nonalcoholic alternatives has surged — even as most consumers continue to drink alcohol in moderation rather than abandoning it altogether.—
Jason Mastrodonato,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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From a portable power bank to keep your phone charged to noise-canceling headphones that will drown out stressful sounds, these travel accessories will help nervous fliers and frequent travelers alike have easier journeys.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 2026
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But in Japan, there’s no legal recourse and canceling a location shoot with short notice is an accepted part of the culture.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Legislative Audit Bureau will examine the DPI’s oversight of educator misconduct cases, including the quality of its investigations, the steps for revoking or suspending licenses and whether the agency’s policies follow state law.—
Kayla Huynh,
jsonline.com,
5 Nov. 2025
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In its petition to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, the DOJ accused the district court of exceeding its powers and asked the appeals court to immediately pause the order and consider revoking it.—
Armando Garcia,
ABC News,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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San-ho enters the code, aborting the strike.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In his opening moves as mayor, Mamdani signed executive orders dealing with housing and one repealing all of former Mayor Eric Adams’s executive orders signed after his indictment on corruption charges in September 2024.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Jan. 2026
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Third, negotiators must start by repealing the Gainful Employment Rule, especially since the OBBBA will replace it with the earnings premium.—
Bob Carey,
Boston Herald,
20 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scrubbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrubbing. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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