RUB: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for RUB?

Need another word that means the same as “rub”? Find 36 synonyms and 30 related words for “rub” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Rub” are: chafe, fray, fret, scratch, itch, massage, knead, apply, put on, smear, smooth, spread, work in, cream in, clean, mop, sponge, swab, pinch, scrape, abrade, hang-up, hitch, snag, wipe, polish, buffing, problem, difficulty, trouble, drawback, hindrance, obstacle, obstruction, impediment

Rub as a Noun

Definitions of "Rub" as a noun

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “rub” as a noun can have the following definitions:

• The act of rubbing or wiping.
• A mixture of spices and other seasonings that is applied to the surface of meat or fish before cooking.
• The central problem or difficulty in a situation.
• (in bowling) an uneven patch of ground that impedes or diverts a bowl.
• An unforeseen obstacle.
• An act of rubbing.
• An ointment designed to be rubbed on the skin to ease pain.

Synonyms of "Rub" as a noun (15 Words)

buffing	An implement consisting of soft material mounted on a block; used for polishing (as in manicuring.
difficulty	A condition or state of affairs almost beyond one’s ability to deal with and requiring great effort to bear or overcome. Had difficulty walking.
drawback	A feature that renders something less acceptable; a disadvantage or problem. They had been complaining of difficulties in getting quick reimbursement of duty drawback.
hang-up	An unforeseen obstacle.
hindrance	Any obstruction that impedes or is burdensome. A hindrance to the development process.
hitch	An act of hitch hiking. Everything went without a hitch.
impediment	Something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress. A serious impediment to scientific progress.
massage	The rubbing and kneading of muscles and joints of the body with the hands, especially to relieve tension or pain. Massage can ease tiredness.
obstacle	Something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted. The poverty of a district is an obstacle to good education.
obstruction	The physical condition of blocking or filling a passage with an obstruction. Walkers could proceed with the minimum of obstruction.
polish	A preparation used in polishing. They performed with great polish.
problem	An inquiry starting from given conditions to investigate or demonstrate a fact, result, or law. Motivation of staff can also be a problem.
snag	A rent or tear in fabric caused by a snag. Keep an emery board handy in case of nail snags.
trouble	A source of difficulty. The kid had been no trouble up to now.
wipe	A cinematographic effect in which an existing picture seems to be wiped out by a new one as the boundary between them moves across the screen. Bert was giving the machine a final wipe over with an oily rag.

Usage Examples of "Rub" as a noun

• She pulled out a towel and gave her head a quick rub.
• He will be using coffee in a rub for a rack of lamb.
• A muscle rub.
• He gave the hood a quick rub.
• That was the rub—she had not cared enough.

Rub as a Verb

Definitions of "Rub" as a verb

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “rub” as a verb can have the following definitions:

• Work an ingredient into (a mixture) by breaking and blending it with firm movements of one's fingers.
• Move (one's hand, a cloth, or another object) back and forth against a surface.
• Cause friction.
• Make dry, clean, or smooth by rubbing.
• (of a bowl) be slowed or diverted by the unevenness of the ground.
• Reproduce the design of (a sepulchral brass or a stone) by rubbing paper laid on it with coloured wax, pencil, or chalk, etc.
• Apply firm pressure to the surface of (something), using a repeated back and forth motion.
• Scrape or rub as if to relieve itching.
• Move over something with pressure.
• Apply (ointment, polish, or a similar substance) with a back and forth motion.
• (of shoes or other hard items in contact with the skin) cause pain through friction.
• (with reference to two things) move or cause to move to and fro against each other with a certain amount of friction.

Synonyms of "Rub" as a verb (21 Words)

abrade	Rub hard or scrub. It was a landscape slowly abraded by a fine stinging dust.
apply	Apply oneself to. Please apply yourself to your homework.
chafe	Cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations. Her arms chafed where the rope bit into them.
clean	Be cleanable. The boys cleaned the sandwich platters.
cream in	Put on cream, as on one’s face or body.
fray	(of a male deer) rub (a bush or small tree) with the head in order to remove the velvet from newly formed antlers, or to mark territory during the rut. The friction frayed the sleeve.
fret	Provide a musical instrument with frets. She fretted about the cost of groceries.
itch	Cause to perceive an itch. Paul was itching to get outside.
knead	Make bread or pottery by kneading flour or clay. She kneaded his back.
massage	Give a massage to. The accounts had been massaged to suit the government.
mop	To wash or wipe with or as if with a mop. She mopped the floor and cleaned out two cupboards.
pinch	Make ridges into by pinching together. If I scraped and pinched a bit I might manage.
put on	Attribute or give.
scrape	Bend the knees and bow in a servile manner. For some years he scraped a living as a tutor.
scratch	Play a record using the scratch technique. Banks seem prepared to scratch stabilization charges.
smear	Stain by smearing or daubing with a dirty substance. Smear the wall with paint.
smooth	Make smooth or smoother as if by rubbing. A conference would be held to smooth the way for the establishment of the provisional government.
sponge	Give a decorative effect to a painted surface by applying a different shade of paint with a sponge. I ll go and sponge this orange juice off my dress.
spread	Cover by spreading something over. The Marines spread out across the docks.
swab	Wash with a swab or a mop. The crew were swabbing down the decks.
work in	Exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity.

Usage Examples of "Rub" as a verb

• Sift the flour into a bowl and rub in the fat.
• He was rubbing an old brass.
• I rubbed myself dry.
• She took out her sun cream and rubbed some on her nose.
• He rubbed at the earth on his jeans.
• He rubbed a finger round the rim of his mug.
• Badly fitting shoes can rub painfully.
• She rubbed her arm, where she had a large bruise.
• Many insects make noises by rubbing parts of their bodies together.
• She found a towel and began rubbing her hair.
• Rub my hands.
• The ice breaks into small floes that rub against each other.
• Rub oil into her skin.

Associations of "Rub" (30 Words)

caress	Touch or stroke lightly in a loving or endearing manner. The caresses of the breeze played over his face.
chafe	(with reference to a part of the body) make or become sore by rubbing against something. The collar chafed his neck.
dab	A brief application of a piece of absorbent material to a surface. Apply concealer with light dabs.
delete	Remove (a product, especially a recording) from the catalogue of those available for purchase. If one important gene is deleted from an animal s DNA other genes can stand in.
discomfort	A state of unease, worry, or embarrassment. His remarks caused her discomfort.
efface	Remove completely from recognition or memory. To efface oneself is not the easiest of duties which the teacher can undertake.
encourage	Spur on. The intention is to encourage new writing talent.
encouraged	Inspired with confidence.
eradicate	Kill in large numbers. This disease has been eradicated from the world.
erasable	Capable of being effaced. A signal too loud to be erasable in a single pass through the erase head.
erase	Remove from memory or existence. The tape could be magnetically erased and reused.
excise	Levy an excise tax on. The surgeon excised the tumor.
expulsion	The action or process of forcing someone to leave a place. His expulsion from the union.
expunge	Obliterate or remove completely (something unwanted or unpleasant. The kind of man that could expunge an unsatisfactory incident from his memory.
fray	A noisy fight. As the temperature rose tempers frayed.
friction	Effort expended in moving one object over another with pressure. A considerable amount of friction between father and son.
fumble	An act of managing or dealing with something clumsily. He fumbled about in the dark but could not find her.
irritation	An uncomfortable feeling of mental painfulness or distress. The minor irritations of life.
itch	Be the site of or cause an itch. She is itching to start the project.
itching	An irritating cutaneous sensation that produces a desire to scratch.
massage	Give a massage to. She massaged his sore back.
obliterate	Make invisible or indistinct; conceal or cover. The special stamp should be placed on the left hand side and not be used to obliterate the postage stamp.
pat	Pat or squeeze fondly or playfully especially under the chin. He patted the bench beside him and I sat down.
rap	Genre of African American music of the 1980s and 1990s in which rhyming lyrics are chanted to a musical accompaniment several forms of rap have emerged. Social services were smarting from an Ombudsman s rap.
scratch	A mark or wound made by scratching. Tabitha wondered how long the woman had been scratching a living on the waterways.
strike	A pitch that passes through the strike zone. Strike a medal.
tap	Cut a female screw thread with a tap. The FBI was tapping the phone line of the suspected spy.
touch	An act of touching someone or something. He touched back a cross field ball.
wipe	Pass a swipe card over an electronic reader. Wipe the blackboard.