the rub
noun
formal
: something that causes a difficulty or problem
She's an amazing cook, but she rarely has time to make meals. There's the rub.
Therein/There lies the rub.
Examples of the rub in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There are thousands of terrorists, bandits, criminals, and insurgent groups that clearly satisfy the first two conditions, but the third condition is the rub.
—
Audrey Kurth Cronin, Foreign Affairs, 21 Dec. 2011
When People Are Walked Down A Primrose Path Here’s the rub on this.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024
But here’s the rub: Despite efforts to educate the public, the accessibility of sunbeds in the UK may perpetuate a perception that their use is relatively safe, says Dr Mahto.
—Lucy Abbersteen, refinery29.com, 7 May 2024
But here’s the rub: A tinted sunscreen that ticks every box is notoriously hard to come by.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, refinery29.com, 13 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for the rub 
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Audrey Kurth Cronin, Foreign Affairs, 21 Dec. 2011
When People Are Walked Down A Primrose Path Here’s the rub on this.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024
But here’s the rub: Despite efforts to educate the public, the accessibility of sunbeds in the UK may perpetuate a perception that their use is relatively safe, says Dr Mahto.
—Lucy Abbersteen, refinery29.com, 7 May 2024
But here’s the rub: A tinted sunscreen that ticks every box is notoriously hard to come by.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, refinery29.com, 13 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for the rub
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Dictionary Entries Near the rub
Cite this Entry
“The rub.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20rub. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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