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

Need another word that means the same as “scrub”? Find 35 synonyms and 30 related words for “scrub” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Scrub” are: scrub up, call off, cancel, scratch, scour, rub, brush, sponge, swab, clean, cleanse, wash, wipe, abolish, scrap, throw out, abandon, drop, do away with, give up, discontinue, take away, stop, put an end to, eliminate, cut, jettison, discard, forget, forget about, abort, bush, chaparral, scouring, scrubbing

Scrub as a Noun

Definitions of "Scrub" as a noun

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

• Special hygienic clothing worn by surgeons during operations.
• A semi-abrasive cosmetic lotion applied to the face or body in order to cleanse the skin.
• Dense vegetation consisting of stunted trees or bushes.
• The act of cleaning a surface by rubbing it with a brush and soap and water.
• An act of scrubbing something or someone.

Synonyms of "Scrub" as a noun (4 Words)

bush	Dense vegetation consisting of stunted trees or bushes. Bush justice.
chaparral	Vegetation consisting chiefly of tangled shrubs and thorny bushes.
scouring	The act of cleaning a surface by rubbing it with a brush and soap and water. Scouring the entire area revealed nothing.
scrubbing	Dense vegetation consisting of stunted trees or bushes.

Usage Examples of "Scrub" as a noun

• Bill emerged from the delivery room in green scrubs.
• Give the floor a good scrub.
• Don't use facial scrubs if your skin is sensitive.

Scrub as a Verb

Definitions of "Scrub" as a verb

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

• Clean with hard rubbing.
• (of a driver) allow (a tyre) to slide or scrape across the road surface so as to reduce speed.
• Thoroughly clean one's hands and arms before performing surgery.
• Cancel or abandon (something.
• Rub (someone or something) hard so as to clean them, typically with a brush and water.
• Remove dirt by rubbing hard.
• Wash thoroughly.
• (of a driver) reduce (speed) by allowing the tyres to slide or scrape across the road surface.
• Postpone indefinitely or annul something that was scheduled.
• Use water to remove impurities from (gas or vapour.
• (of a person) have a smart and well-groomed appearance after making a deliberate effort.
• (of a rider) rub the arms and legs urgently on a horse's neck and flanks to urge it to move faster.

Synonyms of "Scrub" as a verb (31 Words)

abandon	Cease to support or look after (someone); desert. Fans invaded the pitch and the match was abandoned.
abolish	Do away with. Slavery was abolished in the mid 19th century in America and in Russia.
abort	Cease development die and be aborted. Many doctors assume that women who undergo testing would choose to abort.
brush	Clean with a brush. She brushed a wisp of hair away from her face.
call off	Pay a brief visit.
cancel	Decide or announce that (a planned event) will not take place. I intend to cancel your debt to me.
clean	Clean one s body or parts thereof as by washing. There are a variety of ways to cook the herring but it must first be gutted and cleaned.
cleanse	Rid of something unpleasant or defiling. This preparation will cleanse and tighten the skin.
cut	Form or shape by cutting or incising. We had to lose weight so we cut the sugar from our diet.
discard	Throw or cast away. Hilary bundled up the clothes she had discarded.
discontinue	Cease from doing or providing (something), especially something that has been provided on a regular basis. Their current top of the range running shoe is being discontinued.
do away with	Spend time in prison or in a labor camp.
drop	Score a goal by a drop kick. She dropped a remark about having been included in the selection.
eliminate	Eliminate from the body. Let s eliminate the course on Akkadian hieroglyphics.
forget	Forget to do something. Don t forget to call the chairman of the board to the meeting.
forget about	Dismiss from the mind; stop remembering.
give up	Give as a present; make a gift of.
jettison	Throw away, of something encumbering. Six aircraft jettisoned their loads in the sea.
put an end to	Formulate in a particular style or language.
rub	Scrape or rub as if to relieve itching. Rub oil into her skin.
scour	Remove dirt or unwanted matter by scouring. A stream came crashing through a narrow cavern to scour out a round pool below.
scrap	Discard or remove from service a redundant old or inoperative vehicle vessel or machine especially so as to convert it to scrap metal. A bold decision was taken to scrap existing plant.
scratch	Play a record using the scratch technique. The lovers scratched their names into the bark of the tree.
scrub up	Postpone indefinitely or annul something that was scheduled.
sponge	Decorate pottery using a sponge. I ll go and sponge this orange juice off my dress.
stop	Stop moving or operating. You ll have to stop the night.
swab	Wash with a swab or a mop. Swab the ship s decks.
take away	Head into a specified direction.
throw out	Cause to go on or to be engaged or set in operation.
wash	Be capable of being washed. The cat washes several times a day.
wipe	Pass a swipe card over an electronic reader. Paul wiped his face with a handkerchief.

Usage Examples of "Scrub" as a verb

• She scrubbed furiously at the plates.
• It took ages to scrub off the muck.
• She was scrubbing herself down at the sink.
• The vapour is scrubbed by the condensate.
• He had to scrub the floor.
• The doctor scrubbed up and donned a protective gown.
• Surgeons must scrub prior to an operation.
• I usually only scrub the front tyre when I get into a turn too hot.
• The first two races had to be scrubbed because of blustery winds and rough seas.
• By now the field was spreadeagled and scrubbing to keep in touch with the hounds.
• The band scrub up well to play weddings and parties.
• He slammed the bike down on the cases to scrub off speed.
• We had to scrub our vacation plans.
• She scrubbed his back.

Associations of "Scrub" (30 Words)

ablution	(in army slang) a building or room containing washing facilities and toilets. The women performed their ablutions.
bath	An act or process of immersing and washing one s body in the water held by a bath. He lay in the bath.
bathe	Suffuse or envelope with something. I was bathed in a cold sweat.
bathtub	A bath.
bleach	Clean or sterilize a drain sink etc with bleach. His contributions to the album are bleached of personality.
brush	Rub with a brush or as if with a brush. Once you ve had it professionally cleaned be sure to brush your coat after each wear.
bubble	Rise in bubbles or as if in bubbles. We both lived in a bubble the kind provided by occupying a privileged pied terre in Greenwich Village.
clean	Clean one s body or parts thereof as by washing. Cats are clean animals.
cleaner	A device for cleaning such as a vacuum cleaner. My suit s at the cleaners.
cleanly	Smoothly and without difficulty; precisely and deftly. Some plain but cleanly country maid.
cleanse	Rid of something unpleasant or defiling. You can consume the broth three times a day for a cleanse.
conditioner	Exercise that conditions the body. Add a water conditioner to neutralize chlorine.
dampen	Smother or suppress. Slider switches on the mixers can dampen the drums.
deaden	Make (someone) insensitive to something. Laughter might deaden us to the moral issue.
detergent	Any additive with a similar action to a detergent e g an oil soluble substance which holds dirt in suspension in lubricating oil. Packets of detergent.
lather	Exude sweat or lather. Dad had got into a right lather by the time I got home.
launder	A channel for conveying molten metal from a furnace or container to a ladle or mould. 123 000 had been laundered through Geneva bank accounts.
laundress	A working woman who takes in washing.
laundry	Clothes and linen that need to be washed or that have been newly washed. Cooking and laundry were undertaken by domestic staff.
lave	Cleanse (one’s body) with soap and water. The waves laved the shore.
med	Medicine medication. She s at med school.
moisten	Moisten with fine drops. She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue.
rinse	Rinse one s mouth and throat with mouthwash. Always rinse your hair thoroughly.
sanitation	Making something sanitary (free of germs) as by sterilizing. They could afford to erect new dwellings with a reasonable standard of construction and sanitation.
shampoo	Wash something in or out of the hair using shampoo. A shampoo and set.
shower	Cause a mass of small things to fall in a shower. His hooves showered sparks across the concrete floor.
soap	Rub soap all over usually with the purpose of cleaning. A bar of soap.
tub	The contents of a tub or the amount it can contain. She s revolting she doesn t tub.
wash	A quantity of clothes needing to be or just having been washed. Citrus scented body wash.
washing	The action of washing oneself or laundering clothes bed linen etc. Avoid over enthusiastic washing.