rubbed

VERB

stroke, massage

Synonyms

STRONGEST

apply brush caress clean coat cover glaze graze grind knead paint pat scrape scrub slather smear smooth spread wear wipe

STRONG

abrade anoint bark buff burnish chafe curry daub erase erode excoriate file fray fret furbish glance gloss grate mop plaster polish put rasp scour shine swab

WEAK

triturate wear down

Antonyms

STRONGEST

dirty reveal strip uncover

STRONG

dull make happy please

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He joined China’s top political advisory body in 2008 and rubbed shoulders with other billionaires, including Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

His grandiose persona rubbed many the wrong way early on, earning him a villain label.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

This loss has rubbed some of the shine off the coalition and Meloni herself, long the strong woman of Italian politics, has been left looking more vulnerable.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

A little zest rubbed directly into the yogurt gives it that sun-dappled brunch energy — not “airport kiosk at 6:12 a.m.”

From Salon • Mar. 17, 2026

Jonathan put his cheek on the dog’s neck and rubbed his ears.

From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret