How to Use rub off in a Sentence

rub off

verb
  • Let cool slightly, then place nuts in a kitchen towel and rub off skins.
    Bon Appetit, 19 Sep. 2017
  • Research shows that the healthy actions of others rub off on us.
    NBC News, 15 Sep. 2017
  • The Kool-Aid rubbed off a bit on some of the eggs, leaving a nice mottled finish.
    Cynthia Billhartz Gregorian, kansascity, 31 Mar. 2017
  • Joey Votto’s hitting approach seems to have rubbed off on a few of his fellow players.
    Richard Fitch, Cincinnati.com, 22 Sep. 2017
  • My mom couldn't resist pulling over to every roadside junk shop in search of the unusual and the zany, and that rubbed off on me.
    Douglas Brenner, House Beautiful, 8 Dec. 2014
  • Zines’ fun, creative look attracts companies who want zines’ cool factor to rub off on their own products.
    The Economist, 12 Oct. 2017
  • Politicians, in particular, will be waiting to see if the culture of one rubs off on the other.
    The Economist, 14 Sep. 2017
  • The produce, the sunshine, the ocean: California’s healthy vibes rubbed off on me.
    Courtney Storer, Bon Appetit, 2 May 2017
  • That work ethic rubbed off on Alfred, who’s now thriving in his first year as Olympic Heights head football coach.
    Wells Dusenbury, Sun-Sentinel.com, 11 Oct. 2017
  • But dozens of companies are trying to list through this shortcut approach, hoping star affiliations will rub off on them.
    Ben Eisen, WSJ, 10 Oct. 2017
  • Although carbon soot does not easily rub off, the birds left oily black smudges when handled with white gloves, similar to the way newspaper ink stains fingers.
    Ben Guarino, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2017
  • Wedding countdown: Book this the afternoon before (or as close to the date as possible)—we promise this paraben-free formula fades evenly and won't rub off on white.
    Jessica Prince Erlich, Harper's BAZAAR, 9 June 2016
  • Maclin’s man was rubbed off by Ravens tight end Benjamin Watson and the team’s late offseason wide receiver addition coasted into the end zone.
    Jeff Zrebiec, baltimoresun.com, 11 Sep. 2017
  • One paper suggested that laziness and impatience can rub off on peers and another concluded that obesity is socially contagious.
    Jason Daley, Smithsonian, 20 Apr. 2017
  • And why didn’t his time in the West seem to rub off on him?
    Alex Ward, Vox, 20 June 2019
  • These are at their brightest for the first day or two, but over time, the scales fall out or rub off.
    Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 5 Jan. 2023
  • Theron's confidence to rock a bowl cut needs to rub off on me.
    Maya Allen, Marie Claire, 3 Sep. 2019
  • Plus, the make-up is completely fake and won’t rub off on their skin.
    Samantha Booth, Rolling Stone, 24 Nov. 2023
  • By the end, some of Pashkov's wolf whisker makeup had rubbed off onto her own face.
    Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2019
  • Chris Hemsworth‘s tough-guy skills from his days on the Thor set seem to be rubbing off on his kids — well, one of them, at the very least.
    Jen Juneau, PEOPLE.com, 11 Jan. 2018
  • Also true to his word, none of it rubbed off on my clothes or my bedsheets, so 10/10 there.
    Rebecca Dancer, Allure, 1 Apr. 2019
  • Their love of show business rubbed off on their daughter.
    Nicole Briese, Peoplemag, 5 May 2024
  • Chicago’s stink was allowed to rub off on the Panthers.
    Dave Hyde, sun-sentinel.com, 28 Oct. 2021
  • The seniors’ desire to be successful can rub off on the group.
    Matt Case, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Mar. 2018
  • The family approach from Berhalter on and off the field rubbed off on Estévez.
    Peter Rauterkus, Dallas News, 18 Aug. 2023
  • And maybe, just maybe, its racing DNA will rub off on the Atlas to give it a little more speed.
    cleveland, 8 Feb. 2020
  • The 34-year-old is counting on his zest for life and exuberance to rub off on the teenagers in his charge.
    Robert Avery, Houston Chronicle, 27 Aug. 2019
  • Amanda Morgan hoped some of the city’s stardust might rub off on her.
    Sean Williams, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2023
  • The storyteller glides through Jaipur’s bustling streets with a calm grace, and that confidence rubs off on you.
    Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 9 July 2024
  • The group believes that shine will also rub off on its store on the famous shopping street, which has underperformed since its opening in 2019.
    Rhonda Richford, WWD, 14 June 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rub off.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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