1
as in wearing
to damage or diminish by continued friction
the brake pads were rubbed away as a result of years of use
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in grinding
to make smooth by friction
the furniture restorer rubbed the board perfectly smooth with sandpaper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in polishing
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure
the butler rubbed the silver tea set until it gleamed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rubbing
Many kids joined Club America in part because Kirk’s conservative principles appealed to them and in part because rubbing elbows with wealthy donors who frequented Mar-a-Lago did, too.
—
Eliza Griswold,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
But Jonah never accepted plenty of welcoming hands despite rubbing elbows in such crowds, and Jamon hardly let his son leave the house, least of all for a party.
—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
21 June 2026
The latest salary cap projections have the Pacers team spending level rubbing right up against the luxury tax for the 2026-27 season before the offseason even begins.
—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Use light pressure when rubbing the skin, and avoid washing multiple peaches at once to prevent them from bumping into each other.
—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rubbing
Eliza Griswold,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
But Jonah never accepted plenty of welcoming hands despite rubbing elbows in such crowds, and Jamon hardly let his son leave the house, least of all for a party.
—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
21 June 2026
The latest salary cap projections have the Pacers team spending level rubbing right up against the luxury tax for the 2026-27 season before the offseason even begins.
—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Use light pressure when rubbing the skin, and avoid washing multiple peaches at once to prevent them from bumping into each other.
—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rubbing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubbing
Verb
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Doctors Without Borders health workers wearing personal protective equipment move through the isolated red zone to monitor patients, provide medical care and ensure sanitation at the Ebola Treatment Center in Munigi in Congo on June 2, 2026.
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Rodríguez Castro can be seen wearing a New York Yankees shirt, moving suggestively to driving percussive beats, punctuated by catchy, syncopated vocals.
Verb
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The hike includes the park’s east side on the Grasslands Trail, which leads to a Kumeyaay grinding rocks site and the scenic Old Mission Dam overlook.
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Those particles may have been grinding in the joint, causing mechanical wear on the cobalt-chromium femoral head that released cobalt into the surrounding tissue and bloodstream.
Verb
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Parker Kitternan was busy at the console of the church's pipe organ, polishing his musical tribute for the weekend.
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The deceptively roomy, buttery-smooth leather style features a convertible crossbody strap, metal feet, interior pockets, and an outfit-polishing silhouette.
Verb
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Each new channel brings new risk of eroding consumer trust if it’s not carefully managed.
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But experts and users warn that technology risks eroding authenticity and chemistry at the heart of real-world relationships.
Verb
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With ballots set to be printed this week, the issue was appealed to the Alaska Supreme Court on an expedited basis, with both sides filing court papers over the weekend.
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The brain creates reference points, filing new information against existing constructs.
Verb
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Its major selling points include the stretchy and soft material, wide straps, side-smoothing panels, and wireless design.
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It can be used as a concealer, contour, or foundation, has medium coverage, is pore-blurring, texture-smoothing, and imperfection-camouflaging.
Verb
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The same fear of a fraying dollar system is driving Russia and others toward bitcoin and pushing Wall Street to treat which reserve asset wins as a live question.
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And that net of community health workers who serve as links between families and this lifesaving treatment is fraying.
Verb
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Their work included sanding the benches along the Naperville Riverwalk.
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During a walk-through for reporters on Thursday, construction noises — particularly sanding and hammering — could be heard.
Cite this Entry
“Rubbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubbing. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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