rubbing out

present participle of rub out
1
as in destroying
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of aerial bombs rubbed out the oil refinery

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubbing out
Verb
  • But if enacted, some of the ideas proposed also risk destroying a nascent private sector and worsening the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.
    Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Online records show that Lamb was charged with homicide, kidnap-false imprisonment, evidence-destroying and procure for prostitute.
    Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • They were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole at ages 18 and 21 after being convicted of murdering their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills home in 1989.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Apr. 2025
  • Eleven years after attorney Sarah Morgan defended her husband, Adam, against the charge of murdering his mistress, she's changed careers and started a family with a new husband, Bob Miller.
    Lizz Schumer, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Tesla is now on the cusp of erasing its postelection gains.
    Brian Evans, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025
  • What To Know Stocks plummeted in morning trading on Wall Street, erasing all S&P 500 gains since Election Day.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Since March 14, severe weather has left a trail of destruction, toppling trees, demolishing homes, and igniting wildfires, the Associated Press reported.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Education advocates and Democrats have condemned the move, and actually demolishing the agency would require an act of Congress.
    The Hill Staff, The Hill, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • This prequel flashes back to a previous Christmas in Los Angeles, when their unintentional destruction of a Santa Claus parade balloon put the city on edge, wrecking the gang's plans for a massive Yuletide bank robbery.
    EW.com, EW.com, 20 Dec. 2024
  • The vocalist’s sole concerns related to the natural environment, the animal kingdom and humankind’s responsibility for wrecking our only home.
    Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • This underscores the company’s track record of executing rapid-development projects on relatively modest budgets—Erinyes reportedly cost less than $15 million to develop over three years.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 21 Mar. 2025
  • For instance, financial firms run ERP, CRM and wealth management platforms separately, with each business unit executing independent digital initiatives leading to disconnected AI strategies.
    Jabin Geevarghese George, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Actually abolishing the department will require action from Congress, but the effort could have major implications for everything from universities’ federal funding to college students applying for loans to pay for their education.
    The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2025
  • The order would spare some programs deemed critical by the administration, though completely abolishing the DOE will require congressional approval.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
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.

Cite this Entry

“Rubbing out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubbing%20out. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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