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
Shawn Tully, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2024
Focus on bedding cover, rubs, scrapes, and trails leading back into cover.
—Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 9 Oct. 2024
Jenny Berg, Vogue, 1 Nov. 2024
Also look for branches that cross or rub against one another and remove one or both.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rub 
Noun
The third and final rub: The lofty, intricate blueprint proved beyond Lynch’s capacity to implement.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2024
Focus on bedding cover, rubs, scrapes, and trails leading back into cover.
—Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 9 Oct. 2024
Verb
To tame flyaways, rub three to six drops into the palms and work the oil through dry strands.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 1 Nov. 2024
Also look for branches that cross or rub against one another and remove one or both.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 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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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
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The uniforms will be worn for six regular-season home games in total.Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 14 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Stubborn stains may require you to sand down and restore the wood.Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Oct. 2024
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The typical modern player is a lone, distant figure, emerging to issue platitudes about remaining in the moment, taking it one game at a time, the language itself sanded down to an anodyne pallor.Nicholas Dawidoff, The New Yorker, 26 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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In the 16th-18th centuries, vessels filled with nails, thorns, hair, and other materials, were used as a form of ritual protection against witches.The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 28 Oct. 2024
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What have been your roses and thorns from that experience?Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2024
Verb
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When the Great Depression hit in the early 1930s, Hitler and his followers were ready to take advantage of the German people’s despair and to focus their attention on a scapegoat—the political left and the Jews—as support for centrist political parties eroded.Christine Adams / Made by History, TIME, 5 Nov. 2024
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Disruptions, whether due to shipping delays, supplier issues, or unforeseen events, can quickly erode brand trust and customer loyalty.Gary Drenik, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Limestone and clay are ground up and fed into a very long rotating kiln heated to about 1,450C (2,640F).Lara Williams, The Mercury News, 5 Nov. 2024
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Routines ground us in the here and now and remind us of things within our control that do not have to change.Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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It’s made with a sugar and coconut oil blend to smooth and moisturize after gently exfoliating your scalp or body.Mia Meltzer, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2024
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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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Cite this Entry
“Rub.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rub. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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