rub off
verb
rubbed off; rubbing off; rubs off
: to become transferred
bad habits rubbed off on them
carbon rubs off on your hands
Examples of rub off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Raymond’s military experience rubbed off on his youngest daughter, who was well-versed in weaponry and tactics as a teen, ESPN reported.
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Nasha Smith, Peoplemag, 9 May 2024
And the character arcs for the three investigators, and the way that Gilbert’s polish, Dove’s relentlessness, and Emmy’s optimism each rubs off on the other two, can be very endearing, especially towards the end.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 9 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for rub off 
Nasha Smith, Peoplemag, 9 May 2024
And the character arcs for the three investigators, and the way that Gilbert’s polish, Dove’s relentlessness, and Emmy’s optimism each rubs off on the other two, can be very endearing, especially towards the end.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 9 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for rub off
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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Cite this Entry
“Rub off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rub%20off. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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