1
as in speck
a very small piece
had only a nubbin of crayon left
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in root
the central part or aspect of something under consideration
this nubbin of the intelligence report is the prediction that the country's government will soon fall
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Recent Examples of nubbin
Heffernan, a gravely captivating newcomer, wraps each expression and gesture around a hard little nubbin of distrust.
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Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2024
Being a bit of a handy man in a fight himself, Father Ryan taught Frankie how to roll with a punch, how to upset a right swing with a left stab to his shoulder, and how to swing in with a right cross to the nubbin of the chin while his man was off keel.
—Westbrook Pegler, New York Daily News, 18 Jan. 2024
That changed at 1:03 a.m. on Dec. 5 when 192 giant lasers at the laboratory’s National Ignition Facility blasted a small cylinder about the size of a pencil eraser that contained a frozen nubbin of hydrogen encased in diamond.
—Kenneth Chang, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2022
Atoms flew off the nubbin, forcing it to implode at a speed of nearly 400 kilometers per second—about four times a bolt of lightning.
—Virginia Heffernan, WIRED, 1 Mar. 2023
With its mild flavor, a single nubbin of tteok is an equal opportunist flavor sponge.
—Bon Appétit, 24 May 2022
To serve the dish, spoon the rice into bowls, add a nubbin of butter to each one, let the butter melt for half a minute, then let each diner sprinkle several drops of soy sauce onto the rice before eating.
—BostonGlobe.com, 20 Apr. 2021
The entrance features a dipping counter where signature flavors like honey-swirled Queen Bee, crunchy Churro Churro and Malt Shake, with nubbins of malt balls, are scooped.
—Florence Fabricant, New York Times, 9 Dec. 2019
Chicken — rather, nubbins of chicken — make yet another appearance on a plate of gloppy pasta that’s the polar opposite of al dente and further degraded by a rumor of pesto.
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 4 Dec. 2019
Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2024
Being a bit of a handy man in a fight himself, Father Ryan taught Frankie how to roll with a punch, how to upset a right swing with a left stab to his shoulder, and how to swing in with a right cross to the nubbin of the chin while his man was off keel.
—Westbrook Pegler, New York Daily News, 18 Jan. 2024
That changed at 1:03 a.m. on Dec. 5 when 192 giant lasers at the laboratory’s National Ignition Facility blasted a small cylinder about the size of a pencil eraser that contained a frozen nubbin of hydrogen encased in diamond.
—Kenneth Chang, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2022
Atoms flew off the nubbin, forcing it to implode at a speed of nearly 400 kilometers per second—about four times a bolt of lightning.
—Virginia Heffernan, WIRED, 1 Mar. 2023
With its mild flavor, a single nubbin of tteok is an equal opportunist flavor sponge.
—Bon Appétit, 24 May 2022
To serve the dish, spoon the rice into bowls, add a nubbin of butter to each one, let the butter melt for half a minute, then let each diner sprinkle several drops of soy sauce onto the rice before eating.
—BostonGlobe.com, 20 Apr. 2021
The entrance features a dipping counter where signature flavors like honey-swirled Queen Bee, crunchy Churro Churro and Malt Shake, with nubbins of malt balls, are scooped.
—Florence Fabricant, New York Times, 9 Dec. 2019
Chicken — rather, nubbins of chicken — make yet another appearance on a plate of gloppy pasta that’s the polar opposite of al dente and further degraded by a rumor of pesto.
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 4 Dec. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nubbin
Noun
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There were also no visible specks of spices like the Shamrock nog.Endia Fontanez, The Arizona Republic, 11 Dec. 2024
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But a break in the case finally came in 2002 when the Contra Costa County forensic lab matched DNA in Kemp’s hair with the genetic makeup of a speck of blood found on one of Wiltsey’s fingernails.Jason Green, The Mercury News, 10 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Bread recommends applying a generous amount of oil from root to tip and leaving on for at least 20 minutes and as long as overnight.Marci Robin, Allure, 21 Dec. 2024
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From Miley Cyrus and Swift to Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Jordan Davis, Jelly Roll, Morgan Wallen and Bailey Zimmerman, one in three songs in Billboard's all-genre and year-end Hot 100 for the past 12 months featured artists with Music Row in their roots.Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Wow your guests before the first bite—vanilla flecks give desserts a high-quality, artisanal look (and taste).Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 22 Dec. 2024
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The other side: But concerns over water fluoridation have included fluorosis, when growing teeth are exposed to too much fluoride and develop white flecks or spots, and reduced IQ in children.Kale Williams, Axios, 25 Nov. 2024
Noun
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However, sometimes salmonellosis can result in more serious ailments, such as blood infections, heart inflammation, joint stiffness, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms.Tim Ryan, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
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Guillermo really was the beating heart of the show — literally!Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Invest a few million in infrastructure to make a few million in gate revenue — that’s a tidy bit of business.Mark Lazerus, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
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So some of the stuff that was really cutting-edge and contemporary about that novel would've seemed a little bit passé.Angela Watercutter, WIRED, 25 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Usually, these protostars gather enough mass to generate the pressures and temperatures in the core to fuse hydrogen to helium, which is the nuclear process that defines what a main sequence star is.Robert Lea, Space.com, 24 Dec. 2024
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Institutions can minimize their exposure to populist ire while maintaining credibility by narrowing their focus to core functions and avoiding controversial areas.Allison Carnegie, Foreign Affairs, 24 Dec. 2024
Noun
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This periodic comet, discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1790 and later linked to Horace Tuttle's 1858 observations, sheds particles that burn up in Earth's atmosphere, creating meteors.Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
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Here are five of the weirdest, rarest hypothetical particles in the universe.Paul Sutter, Space.com, 24 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Start with a kernel of an idea and then build from there.Tracy Brower, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
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The kernels can become sticky during rainy or humid periods and plug up feeder ports.Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near nubbin
Cite this Entry
“Nubbin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nubbin. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
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