1
as in destroying
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
aerial bombs rubbed out the oil refinery
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in murdering
to put to death deliberately
an elaborate setup to rub out rival mobsters
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in eradicating
to destroy all traces of
a promise to rub out the city's drug trade
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubbing out
Verb
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But when the other side is destroying it, there are worse things to be than the alternative.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026 -
The European Union is moving forward with its ban on destroying unsold clothing, footwear and accessories.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Though Ronald Heath was charged with murdering Hammett, prosecutors ended up dropping the prosecution when Kenneth changed his mind and decided not to testify against his brother again, saying his life had been threatened.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
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In 2025 Erin Patterson, a 51-year-old Australian woman, was sentenced to life in prison for murdering three relatives and trying to kill another by intentionally feeding them a beef Wellington that included poisonous fungi in the ingredients.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While the president’s focus seems to be on eradicating African Americans and our contributions from America and its culture, his hate campaign doesn’t stop with African Americans.—
Bea L. Hines,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
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The agency was finding and eradicating cannabis grows in national forests effectively.—
Rachel Becker,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The mist dissipates around a room instead of spewing out like a wet stream, which keeps Alpert worry-free about ruining her wooden bed frame.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
6 Feb. 2026
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In fact, for some items, a standard cold wash can be ruining.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Harry Jacobs, who was recently named head of the office's criminal division, was also involved in the prosecution of Vance Boelter, the man accused of assassinating former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
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Days later, Trump, much to the surprise of even his own advisers, responded by assassinating Iran’s top military commander, Qassem Soleimani, in Iraq.—
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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That has led, in part, to some talk of a salary cap and a potential lockout perhaps erasing the entire 2027 season.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
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These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But a drone had hit one of its salons, shattering a heating pipe and flooding the premises.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
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The new Wade is an endlessly wisecracking chatterbox, shattering the fourth wall with gleeful abandon.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And people-proofing cars has proven harder than anyone might have imagined when Chicagoans were taking out their Model T’s for Sunday drives on the Mother Road.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
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Video evidence and sworn witness testimony indicate Pretti approached law enforcement during their altercation with other civilians, filming the incident on his phone but never taking out his gun or acting violently toward officers.—
Alison Durkee,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Rubbing out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubbing%20out. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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