1
as in speck
a very small piece
had only a nubbin of crayon left
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in root
the central part or aspect of something under consideration
this nubbin of the intelligence report is the prediction that the country's government will soon fall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nubbin
Secchi’s ragù is the opposite of bouncy meat nubbins bobbing in tomato sauce.
—
Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
Double-tapping the nubbin now pops up a menu with volume and microphone controls and voice typing.
—PCMAG, 17 Jan. 2025
Ground nubbins of paprika, cumin, sage and black pepper that have moldered into flavorless, colored molecules.
—Scott Hocker, theweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Heffernan, a gravely captivating newcomer, wraps each expression and gesture around a hard little nubbin of distrust.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2024
Being a bit of a handy man in a fight himself, Father Ryan taught Frankie how to roll with a punch, how to upset a right swing with a left stab to his shoulder, and how to swing in with a right cross to the nubbin of the chin while his man was off keel.
—Westbrook Pegler, New York Daily News, 18 Jan. 2024
That changed at 1:03 a.m. on Dec. 5 when 192 giant lasers at the laboratory’s National Ignition Facility blasted a small cylinder about the size of a pencil eraser that contained a frozen nubbin of hydrogen encased in diamond.
—Kenneth Chang, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Dec. 2022
Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
Double-tapping the nubbin now pops up a menu with volume and microphone controls and voice typing.
—PCMAG, 17 Jan. 2025
Ground nubbins of paprika, cumin, sage and black pepper that have moldered into flavorless, colored molecules.
—Scott Hocker, theweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Heffernan, a gravely captivating newcomer, wraps each expression and gesture around a hard little nubbin of distrust.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2024
Being a bit of a handy man in a fight himself, Father Ryan taught Frankie how to roll with a punch, how to upset a right swing with a left stab to his shoulder, and how to swing in with a right cross to the nubbin of the chin while his man was off keel.
—Westbrook Pegler, New York Daily News, 18 Jan. 2024
That changed at 1:03 a.m. on Dec. 5 when 192 giant lasers at the laboratory’s National Ignition Facility blasted a small cylinder about the size of a pencil eraser that contained a frozen nubbin of hydrogen encased in diamond.
—Kenneth Chang, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Dec. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nubbin
Noun
-
From the summit of Monte Gambarogno, the towns hugging the shore of Lake Maggiore appear as tiny specks, dwarfed by the snowcapped southern Alps to the north.—
Lisa Kadane,
Travel + Leisure,
1 May 2026
-
The only public image of the attacker — or attackers — appears as a speck in a short, grainy clip of the explosion.—
Thad Moore,
AJC.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
As a city that is always negotiating with modernity, the tradition of jol khabar remains a comforting anchor, binding generations to their cultural roots and evoking nostalgia.—
Madhushree Basu Roy,
Saveur,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The ancient technique used by Indigenous farmers helps direct rainfall to their roots.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Its design, crafted by Russell Sage Studio, is meant to be an on-the-nose reflection of the distillery's famed product, with bronzy walls the color of its single malt, and a ceiling painted to look like barley, reflecting the morning dew with flecks of gold throughout.—
Alessandra Amodio,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Berber carpet Berber is a type of loop pile carpet with flecks of color.—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
While too much unhealthy fat can raise health risks, healthy fats are essential for energy, hormone balance, and heart health.—
Vanessa Caceres,
Verywell Health,
4 May 2026
-
My heart goes out to everyone impacted by the fire — the lives lost, the destruction of homes and businesses.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Ridden by Jose Ortiz, Always a Runner made a move around the final turn and needed every bit of the stretch to pass Bob Baffert’s Explora and and Michael McCarthy’s Meaning before the finish line of the 1 1/8-mile race.—
Stephen Whyno,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
-
Jackson and other experts detail why apple cores and other food waste are harmful, and why the best way to protect our natural habitats is not to throw anything out, even the seemingly harmless bits.—
Emily Hayes,
Martha Stewart,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
The core dispute is the skyrocketing cost of healthcare premiums.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Objects that formed between the soot and frost lines will be less dense, will have the capacity to possess some volatiles, and can have a wide variety of masses, but should always have rock-and-metal cores.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Non-volatile Particulate Matter (nvPM) counters measured soot and black carbon particles, while volatile aerosol and trace-gas instruments (chemiluminescent NOₓ analyzers, hygrometers, thermometers) logged exhaust and ambient chemistry.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
-
But in the quantum realm, randomness reigns; a particle comes with multiple quantum states, collapsing to just one of them in unpredictable ways.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Also known as wheat kernels, wheat berries are encased in husks zipped along the tops of stalks and removed in a process known as threshing.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The kernels are so juicy and just burst in your mouth.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nubbin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nubbin. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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