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

Relevance
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
  • By the turn of this century, the world could come to a grinding halt if alternate sources of energy that meet our energy demand are not commercially available.
    Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 22 Dec. 2024
  • Israel’s grinding offensive in Gaza has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, local health officials say.
    Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 22 Dec. 2024
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
  • Institutions depend on mutual trust, and if the United States flouts the rules, others may follow suit—eroding the foundations of global cooperation.
    Allison Carnegie, Foreign Affairs, 24 Dec. 2024
  • But as Monday made clear, any patience this fan base has left is rapidly eroding in tandem with this season.
    Max Bultman, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
Definition of eroding
Verb
  • If taxpayers closed their bank account since filing their 2023 tax return, the bank will return the payment to the IRS and the refund will be reissued to the address of record.
    Jalen Williams, Detroit Free Press, 24 Dec. 2024
  • That's the deadline for filing your federal income tax return—or applying for an automatic extension—to be considered timely.
    Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
Definition of filing
Verb
  • These are made with sunflower seed oil, avocado oil, and Vitamin E, smoothing and softening even the roughest skin.
    Veronica Booth, Rolling Stone, 20 Dec. 2024
  • For additional correction, fat transfer disguises anatomical and age-related hollowness of the tear trough, smoothing the transition between the under-eye and cheek.
    Jessica Ourisman, Forbes, 16 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
  • To remove tree sap stains, start by scraping off as much residue as possible using a dull knife.
    Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Dec. 2024
  • Givens opened the door and jumped out, rolling onto the street, badly scraping her arms, legs and stomach.
    John Diedrich, Journal Sentinel, 5 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 29 Dec. 2024.

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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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