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2
as in root
the central part or aspect of something under consideration
the nub of the argument is that the intelligence agencies failed the country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nub
Legs were wound down to nubs and heads inflated to egregious proportions.
—
Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
The rendering showed how the 150- and 200-foot heights proposed in the Gillon plan essentially made the Plaza’s iconic Seville Tower look like a pencil nub, in comparison.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 21 Nov. 2025
Heat a skillet or pan over medium heat and add a nub of butter.
—CBS News, 21 Nov. 2025
Fumbling with the plastic nubs can be painful and frustrating.
—Zoe Gates, Outside, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nub
Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
The rendering showed how the 150- and 200-foot heights proposed in the Gillon plan essentially made the Plaza’s iconic Seville Tower look like a pencil nub, in comparison.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 21 Nov. 2025
Heat a skillet or pan over medium heat and add a nub of butter.
—CBS News, 21 Nov. 2025
Fumbling with the plastic nubs can be painful and frustrating.
—Zoe Gates, Outside, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nub
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nub
Noun
-
If, for David Lynch, ideas are like fish in a river, then for Danish provocateur Nicolas Winding Refn, those ideas are like chunks of excrement in an exploded sewage pipe.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
19 May 2026
-
Ramsbottom was at his desk when the drone smashed through the workspace's tin ceiling, spraying shrapnel in all directions, and lodging a chunk of glass in the back of his head.—
Michael Kaplan,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
What is striking about this moment is that America is not merely acknowledging the Jewish roots of some of its values historically, but openly turning again to a distinctly Jewish practice as a possible source of wisdom for the present.—
Ari Berman,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
-
Many stayed, putting down roots that grew into multigenerational farming families who continue to shape the region’s dynamic food scene.—
Vivian Chung,
Travel + Leisure,
14 May 2026
Noun
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Micro clover also tends to be less clump-forming than its full-sized relation.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
13 May 2026
-
Leaning over the side of a small speedboat, Jhon Cantillo scoops up a thick clump of bright green vegetation, holding it up before gesturing toward the horizon, where the plant spreads across the waters as far as the eye can see.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 May 2026
Noun
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Social engagement, community involvement, and faith in the structures that organize daily life are among the study’s core predictors of whether an older adult feels their life has meaning—and all of them depend, at least in part, on trust.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
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Creating pieces that make women feel comfortable and confident through every stage of motherhood has always been at the core of Bumpsuit.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
14 May 2026
Noun
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But with fat’s waning popularity, Americans were eager to ditch those thick hunks of red meat for lighter poultry.—
Rebecca Firkser,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 May 2026
-
Especially if you got swept into the butcher block craze of recent years, these hunks of wood can be nearly impossible to store in cabinets.—
Rachel Davies,
Architectural Digest,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
One which changes profoundly with the tilts and turn of the planet, yet its essence holds true.—
Nick Scott,
Robb Report,
17 May 2026
-
If this is on your mind, move forward, because time is of the essence.—
Kyle Thomas,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Tucker’s rapid-fire delivery is punctuated with sound effects, music cues, and the use of a variety of props dangling from his person at all times (including handcuffs, a wad of cash, and two guns).—
Malina Saval,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
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Not as punishment, but to better know our playing grounds and appreciate the big and small things—like freeing wads of vegetation from an undercarriage—that turn a field into a stage.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
La Familia members typically bang drums and sing their hearts out from opening to closing whistle but decided to stay quiet and brought no flags or instruments to the stadium.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
18 May 2026
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For instance, imagine that the young man with a heart rhythm problem was temporarily unconsciousness, and so his medical team had to instead consult his proxy regarding placement of the pacemaker.—
Adam W. Gaffney,
STAT,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nub.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nub. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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