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
Examples Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of rubout
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
The resort can arrange a local masseuse to rub out all that daring inside the comfort of your cabin.
—Rina Nehdar, Travel + Leisure, 4 Mar. 2022
The man, Eric Charles Maund, whose family runs Volkswagen and Toyota dealerships in and around Austin, is alleged to have hired the trio to rub out Holly Williams, 33, and William Lanway, 36, in March 2020, police and prosecutors said.
—NBC News, 13 Dec. 2021
See all Example Sentences for rubout 
Verb
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
The resort can arrange a local masseuse to rub out all that daring inside the comfort of your cabin.
—Rina Nehdar, Travel + Leisure, 4 Mar. 2022
The man, Eric Charles Maund, whose family runs Volkswagen and Toyota dealerships in and around Austin, is alleged to have hired the trio to rub out Holly Williams, 33, and William Lanway, 36, in March 2020, police and prosecutors said.
—NBC News, 13 Dec. 2021
See all Example Sentences for rubout
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubout
Noun
-
Andrew Kammerer, 33, made his first appearance Friday in Clermont County Common Pleas Court and pleaded not guilty to counts of aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault and endangering children.Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 22 Nov. 2024
-
Ibarra was arrested on Friday, Feb. 23, and charged with several offenses including murder, kidnapping and assault, according to online court records previously cited by PEOPLE.Charmaine Patterson, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
Homes, roads and community spaces in the path of Helene have been destroyed.Patricia McIlreavy, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
-
Kristallnacht translates as Night of Broken Glass, a reference to the thousands of shops, businesses and synagogues destroyed by the Nazis across the two nights in November 1938.Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
Musawi was the Party’s second secretary-general, until he was assassinated by Israel, in 1992.Rania Abouzeid, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2024
-
Last week, an Iranian asset was charged with attempting to assassinate President-elect Trump.Andrea Margolis, Fox News, 11 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
California has spent millions eradicating invasive species like nutria, Atlantic cordgrass and the European green crab.Alexa Robles-Gil, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024
-
By eradicating the metal wire, EBY instead opted for a nylon thread, taking over the duty of the wire.Essence, Essence, 1 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
Santiago said detectives ruled Siefert's death a homicide and are seeking the public's help in identifying any leads.Perry Vandell, The Arizona Republic, 21 Nov. 2024
-
The Little Rock Police Department has identified the victim of a Monday shooting homicide.Daniel McFadin, arkansasonline.com, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
Other highlights include a powerful camera that can detect faces and up to 10 hours of battery life, so a forgotten charger won’t ruin your plans.Sarah Felbin, SELF, 29 Nov. 2024
-
Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors Jude Law recently ruined some of the magic from his feel-good classic The Holiday.Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
With that, plus strong songs and a solid group of musicians there is much promise as Saint Blonde sails off to slay the dragon of anonymity.Eric Fuller, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
-
But choosing a dime-a-dozen country singer over contestants who just slayed Whitney and Prince, respectively?Charles Masson, TVLine, 25 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
And what a loss that would be, erasing the splashes of yellow and orange every fall and silencing the quaking of the leaves.Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic, 18 Nov. 2024
-
Compared to its March peak of $123, the price has plunged over 85%, erasing over $55 billion in value.Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near rubout
Cite this Entry
“Rubout.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubout. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share