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
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Recent Examples of rubout
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
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
See all Example Sentences for rubout 
Verb
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
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
See all Example Sentences for rubout
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubout
Noun
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After pleading guilty earlier this year to third-degree murder in the overdose death of a Savage man, Tino Andre Jones Jr., 34, of Woodbury, was sentenced to 135 months in prison Dec. 22.—
Alex Malm,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
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With some rare exceptions, a person must be convicted of first-degree murder in Idaho to be eligible for the death penalty.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The storm destroyed every structure on the island, wiping out the concert stage, tiki bar, giant slide and food truck.—
Gabrielle Calise Tampa Bay Times (TNS),
arkansasonline.com,
8 Feb. 2025
-
Gazans are also facing dehydration with 70% of critical water infrastructure damaged or destroyed throughout the war, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
8 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Indeed, in Jordan, Palestinians assassinated a king and attempted to overthrow the government.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
7 Feb. 2025
-
Mujibur Rahman and most of his family were assassinated at the house in 1975.—
Reuters,
NBC News,
6 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Prions behave differently than viruses and bacteria and are virtually impossible to eradicate.—
Jim Robbin,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
-
However, the longer the marathon, the more the runners’ energy reserves are drained, making reaching the finish line – eradicating cancer, say – increasingly difficult.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The dead man found hog-tied on the side of a highway earlier this week has been identified as a 57-year-old Queens resident as NYPD detectives launch a homicide investigation, police said Friday.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
7 Feb. 2025
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The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled his death a homicide caused by complications of blunt force injuries to his head.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Ancient people weren't about to let these pests ruin their crops or their lives.—
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi,
Discover Magazine,
14 Feb. 2025
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The film ends with Ross going full Red Hulk in the White House Rose Garden (oops), nearly ruining his legacy (Sterns’ real prize) and ultimately forcing him to admit his wrongdoing, give up his office, and head to The Raft to serve an undetermined amount of time in the floating prison.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The Kennedy Center, named after slain former President John F. Kennedy, was the brain-child of Kennedy's predecessor, Dwight Eisenhower, according to the center's website.—
Savannah Kuchar,
USA TODAY,
15 Feb. 2025
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The Ethiopian crosses symbolize eternal life and connection, and given that a sanctuary is a place for refuge and safety and holiness, Makonnen’s artwork provides some semblance of that for the spirits of the fallen and slain after their lives have ended.—
Shantay Robinson,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Those odds dropped slowly with each game Ovechkin missed due to a fractured left fibula until all progress from his hot streak was erased.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
The Athletic,
7 Feb. 2025
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That’s surrender — to the idea that this is a zero-sum war where one side must be erased for the other to survive.—
Hen Mazzig,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near rubout
Cite this Entry
“Rubout.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubout. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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