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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He was sentenced to death in Idaho in 2024 after being convicted of murder in the deaths of Tylee, JJ and his ex-wife, Tammy Daybell.—
Jenna Sundel
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
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Morphew was indicted by a grand jury in Colorado on charges of murder in the first degree June 20 after the Mother's Day 2020 disappearance of his wife, Suzanne Morphew, the mother of two daughters.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
25 July 2025
Verb
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In return, he was allowed to effectively destroy a nature site of great conservation value.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
26 July 2025
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Initially used for reconnaissance, drones now execute precision strikes, destroy armored vehicles, and provide real-time battlefield intelligence.—
Sophie Clark,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
Verb
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The next day, J.F.K. was assassinated, spawning decades of conspiracy theories.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
18 July 2025
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The country’s intelligence services failed to prevent Israel from assassinating many top military officials, and now the Iranian regime is lashing out in all directions.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
17 July 2025
Verb
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Screwworms were eradicated in the U.S. in the 1960s, but have been know to reemerge occasionally.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 July 2025
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Israel retaliated and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to eradicate Hamas.—
Marni Rose McFall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 July 2025
Noun
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The victim, 66-year-old Eugene Allen, was discovered by residents around 4:30 p.m. During the investigation, homicide squad detectives identified Nieves Reyes as a suspect in the man’s death.—
Theodore Parisienne,
New York Daily News,
24 July 2025
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If anyone has information about Damian Ward’s death, the Prince George’s County Police Department said a homicide detective can be reached by calling at 301-516-2512.—
Julia Marnin,
Miami Herald,
23 July 2025
Verb
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
20 July 2025
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Some adults agreed, but others made comments about me ruining the mood.—
Nicholas Rice,
People.com,
20 July 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile in the Russian prison, Hopper (David Harbour) slays a full-size demogorgon with a sword.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
16 July 2025
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Among them: The killing of 22-year-old Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student who was slain last year by a Venezuelan man in the U.S. illegally.—
Christiaan Hetzner,
Fortune,
12 July 2025
Verb
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Nothing Astronomer could have said or done would've erased the incident.—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
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Intel’s stock jumped early in 2025 as optimism built around new leadership, but shares fell over 9% after Thursday’s Q2 earnings and layoff announcement, threatening to erase most yearly gains.—
Ashley Lutz,
Fortune,
25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rubout.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubout. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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