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
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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
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2
as in to sand
to make smooth by friction
the furniture restorer rubbed the board perfectly smooth with sandpaper
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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of rub
Dominic Patten, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2024
It can be used in a coffee rub for a steak, in a homemade apple cinnamon pop tart, sprinkled on pumpkin seeds and in many other delicious dishes.
—Cody Godwin, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024
Michael Hanback, Outdoor Life, 7 Nov. 2024
Pardi also sparked pregnancy rumors back in February, when he was seen rubbing his beau’s belly during a photo-op.
—Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rub 
Noun
In there might lay the real rub here for the Menendez brothers and for George Gascón.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2024
It can be used in a coffee rub for a steak, in a homemade apple cinnamon pop tart, sprinkled on pumpkin seeds and in many other delicious dishes.
—Cody Godwin, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024
Verb
Bucks rub, scrape, and prowl for does on these break lines.
—Michael Hanback, Outdoor Life, 7 Nov. 2024
Pardi also sparked pregnancy rumors back in February, when he was seen rubbing his beau’s belly during a photo-op.
—Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rub
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rub
Noun
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Exposure to high concentrations can cause people to lose consciousness and can lead to long-term effects such as headaches, poor attention span, poor memory and poor motor function, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.Noelle Phillips, The Denver Post, 15 Nov. 2024
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Common symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, sneezing, coughing, mild headache, and a low-grade fever.Brandi Jones, MSN-Ed, Health, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
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The main event will be eight, two-minute rounds instead of 10 or 12 three-minute rounds and both fighters will wear 14-ounce gloves rather than 10-ounce gloves.Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
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Though both wear hats and masks and keep their heads down, there is one full-face photo caught on the Ring as a delivery man picks up the two-month-old mattress.Suzanne Seggerman, Curbed, 14 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The tone is all wrong, all the edges have been totally sanded down.Paul Tassi, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
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The tough, gangsta image that defined late ’80s and early ’90s hip-hop had now been sanded down into something more aspirational and decidedly capitalist.Kyndall Cunningham, Vox, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
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High school seniors are now in the midst of the college admissions process; writing essays, polishing college lists, and preparing for interviews.Christopher Rim, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
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Read on to learn how to use banana peels to shine and polish silver and leather, as well as several other unusual household uses for banana peels.Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Lai, a billionaire media tycoon who had long been a thorn in the side of Beijing, was arrested in August 2020, shortly after the central Chinese government imposed a national security law that criminalizes secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024
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The lawsuit, filed by California resident Victor Cho, alleges a violation of the Video Privacy Protection Act, a federal law barring the disclosure of information about viewing habits that’s long been a thorn in the side of streaming providers.Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
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On the macro level, those price increases would also erode consumer spending.Annie Nova,Rebecca Picciotto, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024
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Together, all these reflect attempts to erode the public’s trust in elections.ProPublica, ProPublica, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The player’s gear — 25 rackets and more than 30 shirts — was ground up and turned into a camo-like speckled composite in tones of blue that was used for the bezel and case of the 42-mm timepiece.Lily Templeton, WWD, 20 Nov. 2024
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And lead-containing equipment used in the grinding process can contaminate the final product.Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Zoom in: Both Thune and Cornyn have had rocky relationships with former President Trump but have worked hard to smooth them over.Stef W. Kight, Axios, 1 Nov. 2024
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Notably, both Thune and Cornyn have had rocky relationships with Trump but have worked hard to smooth them over.Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 1 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Rub.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rub. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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