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.

But the plans have rubbed some the wrong way.

From Barron's • Jun. 26, 2026

Dissension among the board grew, and Neugebauer’s charismatic, but at-times abrasive, style rubbed some the wrong way, some of the people said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026

The other night, I rubbed chicken with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a generous layer of zest before roasting it as the base for a stew.

From Salon • Apr. 21, 2026

A friend convinced him to head to hospital where concerned emergency ward staff put him on oxygen - but the penny dropped when a medic rubbed his arm with a swab that turned blue.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026

He rubbed tired, blurry eyes and told himself it was just a dream.

From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova