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

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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. polishing
  3. eroding
  4. filing
  5. smoothing
  6. fraying
  7. scraping
  8. buffing
Verb
  • In a slow, grinding 3-2 Leafs win, Matthews carried the offensive load with a goal, a primary assist and flashes of dominant play reminiscent of his games last season.
    Joshua Kloke, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
  • Grindstones are thick disks of stone — often sandstone — used for grinding, sharpening, or polishing metal objects, or for milling grains into flour.
    Jalen Williams, Detroit Free Press, 3 Jan. 2025
Definition of grinding
Verb
  • Even ketchup, tomato juice, or spaghetti sauce can do the trick in polishing copper.
    Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 2024
  • Some edits and modifications were implemented with the goal of polishing Shakespeare’s language to fit more contemporary voices, trimming down lengthy plots, and adapting 16th-century plays to 17th-century London’s smaller theaters.
    Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Dec. 2024
Definition of polishing
Verb
  • In an era of eroding public trust and red-hot campus culture wars, the public higher education is now more political than ever, said Holden Thorp, editor in chief of the journal Science and former chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
    Ian Hodgson, Orlando Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2025
  • The Heat’s decision to suspend Butler marks the latest turning point in an obviously eroding relationship.
    James Jackson, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025
Definition of eroding
Verb
  • There are also situations in the e-filing context, in which a tax professional fails to e-file a return unbeknownst to the taxpayer, that courts have recently found reasonable cause.
    Andy Weiner, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
  • And this craziness involves the incident with the boat captain at Haulover marina, the incident with the social media influencer, mysteriously filing for divorce and and then withdrawing the petition, the house fire, trolling fans after the Houston loss, among other things.
    Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2025
Definition of filing
Verb
  • In the clubhouse, smoothing the path for Shohei Ohtani.
    Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024
  • Powered by nourishing shea butter and jojoba oil, this silicone-free formula hydrates, softens, and enhances shine while smoothing unruly hair.
    Erin Parker, Allure, 27 Dec. 2024
Definition of smoothing
Verb
  • Neither mentioned the constitutional spending cap, a measure designed to ensure fiscal responsibility that many economists blame for the fraying state of Germany's infrastructure.
    Fox News, Fox News, 16 Dec. 2024
  • And cheaper polo belts are stitched with shorter pieces of thread which will unravel over time, creating a fraying effect—but the best quality belts are stitched from longer pieces of thread which won’t unravel.
    Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 6 Nov. 2024
Definition of fraying
Verb
  • Helped by the transaxle layout, the massive power gains, and sublime styling inside and out, the Vantage also requires less of the sacrifices dictated by low-slung mid-engine supercars that demand constant vigilance to avoid scraping on speed bumps, rough canyon roads, or driveways.
    Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
  • The scraping sensations shouldn't be painful but may feel slightly uncomfortable.
    Carley Millhone, Health, 27 Dec. 2024
Definition of scraping
Verb
  • Start by buffing a small, out-of-sight area with any cleaning solutions listed to make sure there are no reactions or damage.
    Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 2024
  • The outside of these types of receptacles need a bit of buffing with a dry microfiber towel to rid of fingerprints, smudges, and stains.
    Lauren Wicks, Southern Living, 23 Nov. 2024
Definition of buffing
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

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Cite this Entry

“Rubbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubbing. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

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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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