1
as in chunks
a small uneven mass
throw a nub of butter into the frying pan
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in roots
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of nubs
Her trick is to finely chop the ginger, instead of grating it, so there are spicy-sweet nubs in each bite.
—
Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Mar. 2026
Best Nylabone chew toys for puppies This three-pack includes one softer starter bone with nubs that are great for teething, one slightly tougher bone to move onto and one edible bone.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
Legs were wound down to nubs and heads inflated to egregious proportions.
—Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Fumbling with the plastic nubs can be painful and frustrating.
—Zoe Gates, Outside, 28 Oct. 2025
This wooden foot massager roller features an arched design and rows of nubs to hit different acupressure points to provide relief.
—L. Daniela Alvarez, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Sep. 2025
My rubber-shod toes were pressed on little nubs the size of chicken nuggets.
—Emily Meg Weinstein
september 5, Literary Hub, 5 Sep. 2025
Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Mar. 2026
Best Nylabone chew toys for puppies This three-pack includes one softer starter bone with nubs that are great for teething, one slightly tougher bone to move onto and one edible bone.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
Legs were wound down to nubs and heads inflated to egregious proportions.
—Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Fumbling with the plastic nubs can be painful and frustrating.
—Zoe Gates, Outside, 28 Oct. 2025
This wooden foot massager roller features an arched design and rows of nubs to hit different acupressure points to provide relief.
—L. Daniela Alvarez, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Sep. 2025
My rubber-shod toes were pressed on little nubs the size of chicken nuggets.
—Emily Meg Weinstein
september 5, Literary Hub, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nubs
Noun
-
And those predictions are slowly becoming reality as companies—especially tech firms—have started to cut sizable chunks of their workforces, attributing the layoffs to AI.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Earth today is a jigsaw of giant chunks of crust that travel across the planet, smashing together like huge bumper cars, pushing up mountain ranges and melting back into magma along their edges.—
Marissa Grunes,
Scientific American,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
See latest conditions Rainfall during the critical germination months from September through November was well below normal, and the winter rain needed to support deep roots and healthy growth also fell short.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The roots of the quaint hotel—once home to a cardinal—are reflected in the guest rooms’ tapestries, oak floors, and Carrara-marble bathrooms.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Remove any rocks, debris, weeds, or large clumps of soil.—
Lauren Wellbank,
Martha Stewart,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Divide the clumps every three years or so to spread around your garden.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Please pour out your love over everyone in this house and touch everyone’s hearts today.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose — the Oscars, anyway.—
Katey Psencik,
Austin American Statesman,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Other prominent arsenic peaks, alongside major sulfate peaks, likely indicate major volcanic events that align with records of 13th century eruptions recorded in Greenland and Antarctic ice cores.—
Nidhi Sharma,
Popular Science,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus effectively replaces the Core Ultra 9 285K, packing eight Performance cores (P-cores) and 16 Efficient cores (E-cores).—
Michael Justin Allen Sexton,
PC Magazine,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Our pants had been ripped from brush and windfalls, and wads of insulation were hanging out of mine.—
Elwyn "Bud" Myers,
Outdoor Life,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Use those wads of wrapping paper leftover from a birthday, baby shower, or holiday bash to stuff the bottom and sides of the box and prevent shifting during shipping.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
25 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
In addition to the bacon and sausage, this queso is packed with filling black beans, corn kernels, scallions, cheese, jalapeños, and our favorite, Rotel tomatoes.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Additionally, pollination may occur during extreme summer heat, reducing kernels on your cobs.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Inspired by both pre-Columbian cultures and modern scientific theories, Jensen made energetic diagrams of shapes, symbols, and numbers in loud complementary colors, using thick globs of paint; the results generate a fascinating friction.—
Brian Seibert,
New Yorker,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nubs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nubs. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
