the rub
noun
formal
: something that causes a difficulty or problem
She's an amazing cook, but she rarely has time to make meals. There's the rub.
Therein/There lies the rub.
Examples of the rub in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Let the meat rest for at least 30 minutes before grilling to allow the rub to penetrate and flavor the meat.
—
Matt Rozo, Mercury News, 6 May 2025
But here’s the rub: Democrats, both nationally and locally, appear determined to sabotage themselves.
—Marc Lester, Baltimore Sun, 22 Apr. 2025
Quarterbacks like that are saved for picks 33-100 — and therein lies the rub with Sanders in a weak class and dire quarterback landscape.
—Derrik Klassen, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Use a spice grinder to blitz the mushrooms before mixing them with the rub ingredients to create a paste consistency.
—Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the rub
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Matt Rozo, Mercury News, 6 May 2025
But here’s the rub: Democrats, both nationally and locally, appear determined to sabotage themselves.
—Marc Lester, Baltimore Sun, 22 Apr. 2025
Quarterbacks like that are saved for picks 33-100 — and therein lies the rub with Sanders in a weak class and dire quarterback landscape.
—Derrik Klassen, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Use a spice grinder to blitz the mushrooms before mixing them with the rub ingredients to create a paste consistency.
—Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the rub
Cite this Entry
“The rub.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20rub. Accessed 14 May. 2025.
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