as in headache
something that is a source of irritation
even what seems to be a dream job usually turns out to have its fair share of rubs
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to wear
to damage or diminish by continued friction
the brake pads were rubbed away as a result of years of use
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to sand
to make smooth by friction
the furniture restorer rubbed the board perfectly smooth with sandpaper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to polish
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure
the butler rubbed the silver tea set until it gleamed
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of rub
Tristan Graziano, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
As well as her most recognizable fish, a whole, butterflied white fish, beautifully charred on the grill and painted with both red adobo and a garlic-parsley rub.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Matt Bradley, NBC news, 14 May 2026
At one point in the video, Bravo affectionately rubbed Barone’s back as the pair stood close together chatting.
—Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rub
Noun
Sourced from Springer Mountain Farms, they are brined overnight, slowly roasted in duck fat with Zepeddie’s seasoning blend, then flash fried and tossed in a selection of housemade sauces and rubs.
—Tristan Graziano, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
As well as her most recognizable fish, a whole, butterflied white fish, beautifully charred on the grill and painted with both red adobo and a garlic-parsley rub.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
The man kissed and touched his neck and rubbed his genitals against Gilboa-Dalal.
—Matt Bradley, NBC news, 14 May 2026
At one point in the video, Bravo affectionately rubbed Barone’s back as the pair stood close together chatting.
—Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rub
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rub
Noun
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Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome causes fatigue, fever, muscle aches, abdominal problems, headaches, chills and dizziness in the early stages, and late symptoms include chest tightness, coughing, shortness of breath and lungs filling with fluid.—
Mary Whitfill Roeloffs,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
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And Malia is also achingly lonesome for her family life, with a sister about to get married and a doting father played, in this headache-inducingly twisty psychodrama’s most refreshing meta-twist, by Romanian director Radu Jude.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Verb
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David Letterman and Stephen Colbert stood on the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York, wearing suits and clutching watermelons to their chests.—
Elahe Izadi,
Washington Post,
19 May 2026
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Bella wore a gold dress from Michael Kors's spring 2023 ready-to-wear collection.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
Verb
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Crucially, the entire supply chain traces back to quartz — essentially sand — with no dependency on China.—
Gene Berdichevsky,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
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George, the birthday boy beside her, stuck to his own slick style, wearing a black polo top, off-white pants with a beige belt, and sand suede loafers.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Plenty of people already use AI to polish text in emails or other documents before sending them, and this is essentially the same thing for voice input.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
12 May 2026
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Something about a summer ceremony invites fun into a potentially formal dress code—your attire should be polished, yes, but can lean playful and bright.—
Sarah Zendejas,
Vogue,
10 May 2026
Noun
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Kris says of the fascinator — is actually a crown of sticks and thorns that would fit in beautifully in an episode of Yellowjackets.—
Jen Chaney,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
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Wear protective clothing and leather gloves, as thorns found along the stems hurt.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2026
Verb
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The federal gas tax has also remained unchanged since 1993, which experts say has already eroded the Highway Trust Fund’s purchasing power when accounting for inflation.—
Wyatte Grantham-Philips,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
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Yet with the tool’s skyrocketing popularity, some experts worry about potential hallucinations or incomplete answers, the potential for doctors’ critical thinking skills to erode and more.—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Whereas most of his teammates got their start playing high school and college ball, Natty began by grinding it out in the Northern California mountain town of Lake Tahoe, the Washington Nationals said in a news release.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
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But public health experts say this isn’t like the early days of COVID, when cruise ships were ground zero for outbreaks and hospitals were overwhelmed with sick patients doctors weren’t sure how to treat.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
Verb
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The award-winning Star Flower Niacinamide serum contains thousands of sparkling micro pearls, each packed with fresh, nutrient-rich actives for concentrated calming benefits and deep hydration to smooth the look of pores and fine lines.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 May 2026
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He has not been smoothed by the sandpaper of Washington just yet.—
Rob Crilly,
The Washington Examiner,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rub.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rub. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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