rubbing

verb

Definition of rubbingnext
present participle of rub
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

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubbing
  1. grinding
  2. eroding
  3. smoothing
  4. fraying
  5. filing
  6. scraping
  7. buffing
  8. honing
Verb
  • Multiple governments have accused Pyongyang of supplying arms to Moscow for its grinding war in Ukraine, a charge both countries have denied, despite significant evidence of such transfers.
    Yoonjung Seo, CNN, 18 Oct. 2024
  • This region has a way of grinding up attacks that appear to be transformational.
    Alexander Smith, NBC News, 17 Oct. 2024
Definition of grinding
Verb
  • Questions and concerns abound over privacy and the ethical use of this data, eroding consumer trust.
    Cathy Ross, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
  • While anti-Russian sentiment runs high in Georgia, there are fears that the governing Georgian Dream party is eroding the country’s relationship with the West and leaning dangerously toward appeasing Russia.
    Fredric Dannen, Billboard, 4 Oct. 2024
Definition of eroding
Verb
  • Powered by retinol and hyaluronic acid, the smoothing cream visibly firms and plumps the skin while offering a potent dose of hydration designed to last.
    Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 4 Oct. 2024
  • This smoothing flatiron leaves strands looking pin-straight and glossy with an internal temperature of 365 degrees Fahrenheit to polish hair without frying it.
    Annie Blackman, Allure, 4 Oct. 2024
Definition of smoothing
Verb
  • Negotiations were fraying between the state and the powerful hospital industry over the plan to make hospitals relieve patient debt or lose billions of dollars of public funding tied to the state’s Medicaid expansion.
    Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 1 Oct. 2024
  • After our many hikes, the shoes have no signs of rips, tears, or fraying.
    Kevin Brouillard, Travel + Leisure, 30 Sep. 2024
Definition of fraying
Verb
  • For Hodgson, one of his priorities last session was making improvements to protect personal privacy, which included filing a bill that would have banned data collected from license plate readers to outside parties.
    Hannah Pinski, The Courier-Journal, 4 Oct. 2024
  • For Hodgson, one of his priorities last session was making improvements to protect personal privacy, which included filing a bill that would have banned data collected from license plate readers to outside parties.
    Hannah Pinski, The Courier-Journal, 4 Oct. 2024
Definition of filing
Verb
  • Data shows huge spikes in scraping activity from Bytespider over each of the last six weeks.
    Kali Hays, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2024
  • Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through and again at the end.
    Molly Bolton, Southern Living, 30 Sep. 2024
Definition of scraping
Verb
  • Finally, to ensure the doors are working smoothly, Sibley suggests applying high-quality car wax to the aluminum, buffing off the wax with a microfiber towel, and then finishing with a light coat of WD40 or Silicone spray on the rollers.
    Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 14 Oct. 2024
  • If the copper is heavily tarnished, let the toothpaste's active ingredients work on the patina for ten minutes or so before buffing.
    Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2024
Definition of buffing
Verb
  • His culinary journey began early, with formal training in culinary school further honing his skills.
    Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 1 Oct. 2024
  • Marketers with the foresight to start adopting and honing these strategies sooner rather than later can be much better positioned once the tide turns.
    Larry Gurreri, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Definition of honing
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near rubbing

rubbery

rubbing

rubbing elbows

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Rubbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubbing. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rubbing

Nglish: Translation of rubbing for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of rubbing for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rubbing

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