as in murder
the intentional and unlawful taking of another person's life
the mafia boss ordered a rubout as casually as you might order a pizza
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to destroy
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
aerial bombs rubbed out the oil refinery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to assassinate
to put to death deliberately
an elaborate setup to rub out rival mobsters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to eradicate
to destroy all traces of
a promise to rub out the city's drug trade
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of rubout
Katherine Alex Beaven, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023
Leach, subsequently dealt from the Seals to the Flyers in May 1974, won the Cup with the Broad Streeters in ‘75 and amassed his 19 the following spring, when they were rubbed out by the Canadiens, 4-0, in the Cup Final.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 13 May 2023
The Penguins were rubbed out easily Tuesday night by the resurgent Devils, 5-1, a dispiriting loss that dipped them 1 point out of a wild-card spot behind the Panthers and Islanders.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Apr. 2023
But church officials warn that secularization more than anything led them to rub out the godparents, a Sicilian thing that’s been going on for 2,000 years, or at least since the church’s dicey first days, when sponsors known to bishops vouched for converts to prevent pagan infiltration.
—New York Times, 16 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for rubout
Verb
Each wipe comes pre-soaked in Shout stain fighter and is designed with a textured surface that creates extra friction to rub out stains.
—Katherine Alex Beaven, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023
Leach, subsequently dealt from the Seals to the Flyers in May 1974, won the Cup with the Broad Streeters in ‘75 and amassed his 19 the following spring, when they were rubbed out by the Canadiens, 4-0, in the Cup Final.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 13 May 2023
The Penguins were rubbed out easily Tuesday night by the resurgent Devils, 5-1, a dispiriting loss that dipped them 1 point out of a wild-card spot behind the Panthers and Islanders.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Apr. 2023
But church officials warn that secularization more than anything led them to rub out the godparents, a Sicilian thing that’s been going on for 2,000 years, or at least since the church’s dicey first days, when sponsors known to bishops vouched for converts to prevent pagan infiltration.
—New York Times, 16 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for rubout
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubout
Noun
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They were taken down after the racial justice protests following the murder of George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2025
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Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Dandrige or the murder of Sayso P are urged to call 901-528-CASH.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The Palisades and Eaton fires burned more than 40,000 acres and destroyed at least 12,000 buildings.—
Corinne Purtill,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2025
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Many of the early hires were believed to be young tech engineers with little to no government experience, prompting criticism from Democrats and unions that critical government services and systems would be cut or destroyed.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The expiration date marks the day the Prime Minister of Granada, Maurice Bishop, was assassinated by a firing squad, which was followed by a U.S. military invasion.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
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One 1964 document showed that two intelligence assets discussed potentially assassinating Castro under the administration of President Lyndon Johnson.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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All of these externals can lead to the breakage of individual strands, weathering (and even eradicating) protective cuticles and any potential for lustrousness and leading instead to a frazzled and frizzy mane.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
25 Mar. 2025
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This should be child’s play for sophisticated on-device AI to eradicate once and for all.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Bukele said El Salvador had 1.9 homicides per 100,000 people, which puts the country below what any Latin American country had reported in 2023, according to the AP.—
Jonathan Limehouse,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2025
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Kate has conducted deep-dive investigations into transgender prison abuse and homicides for NBC News.—
Kate Sosin,
Them.,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacramento Bee,
23 Mar. 2025
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But those stocks were mined with some gusto, and large portions of the island were essentially ruined.—
Nick Miller,
The Athletic,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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That film’s prescient plot caught a lot of folks’ attention in December, when real-life United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was slain on a New York City sidewalk, allegedly by 26-year-old Jigsaw wannabe Luigi Mangione.—
Benjamin Svetkey and Julian Sancton,
The Hollywood Reporter,
19 Mar. 2025
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The number of people slain so far in 2025: 74. Chicago homicides, by year Data for 2025 is updated through March 12, 2025.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Its streets were power washed, graffiti was erased, trash was cleared, and the city’s sizable homeless population was relocated.—
Carson Becker,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Mar. 2025
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The service comes at a price, according to a release: The relived memories are permanently erased after viewing.—
Nicole Fell,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rubout.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubout. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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