1
as in speck
a very small piece
had only a nubbin of crayon left
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in root
the central part or aspect of something under consideration
this nubbin of the intelligence report is the prediction that the country's government will soon fall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nubbin
Secchi’s ragù is the opposite of bouncy meat nubbins bobbing in tomato sauce.
—
Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
Double-tapping the nubbin now pops up a menu with volume and microphone controls and voice typing.
—PCMAG, 17 Jan. 2025
Ground nubbins of paprika, cumin, sage and black pepper that have moldered into flavorless, colored molecules.
—Scott Hocker, theweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Heffernan, a gravely captivating newcomer, wraps each expression and gesture around a hard little nubbin of distrust.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2024
Being a bit of a handy man in a fight himself, Father Ryan taught Frankie how to roll with a punch, how to upset a right swing with a left stab to his shoulder, and how to swing in with a right cross to the nubbin of the chin while his man was off keel.
—Westbrook Pegler, New York Daily News, 18 Jan. 2024
That changed at 1:03 a.m. on Dec. 5 when 192 giant lasers at the laboratory’s National Ignition Facility blasted a small cylinder about the size of a pencil eraser that contained a frozen nubbin of hydrogen encased in diamond.
—Kenneth Chang, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Dec. 2022
Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
Double-tapping the nubbin now pops up a menu with volume and microphone controls and voice typing.
—PCMAG, 17 Jan. 2025
Ground nubbins of paprika, cumin, sage and black pepper that have moldered into flavorless, colored molecules.
—Scott Hocker, theweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Heffernan, a gravely captivating newcomer, wraps each expression and gesture around a hard little nubbin of distrust.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2024
Being a bit of a handy man in a fight himself, Father Ryan taught Frankie how to roll with a punch, how to upset a right swing with a left stab to his shoulder, and how to swing in with a right cross to the nubbin of the chin while his man was off keel.
—Westbrook Pegler, New York Daily News, 18 Jan. 2024
That changed at 1:03 a.m. on Dec. 5 when 192 giant lasers at the laboratory’s National Ignition Facility blasted a small cylinder about the size of a pencil eraser that contained a frozen nubbin of hydrogen encased in diamond.
—Kenneth Chang, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Dec. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nubbin
Noun
-
Then suddenly, every speck of pollen, dust and grime is impossible to ignore.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Featuring bolder, thicker spots at the top and more refined, micro specks down the skirt, this mini dress makes all-day, fashionable wear easier than ever.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
As a city that is always negotiating with modernity, the tradition of jol khabar remains a comforting anchor, binding generations to their cultural roots and evoking nostalgia.—
Madhushree Basu Roy,
Saveur,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The ancient technique used by Indigenous farmers helps direct rainfall to their roots.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Its design, crafted by Russell Sage Studio, is meant to be an on-the-nose reflection of the distillery's famed product, with bronzy walls the color of its single malt, and a ceiling painted to look like barley, reflecting the morning dew with flecks of gold throughout.—
Alessandra Amodio,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Berber carpet Berber is a type of loop pile carpet with flecks of color.—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Kristin Arielle Oliver passed away in June 2020 at the age of 31 after battling a rare heart cancer that required many blood transfusions.—
Francine Knowles,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The centrality of the extra-long flyback chronograph seconds hand (in a straw-yellow color) nods to his belief that the watch is, at heart, an instrument.—
Victoria Gomelsky,
Robb Report,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Shanahan said Height did a little bit of everything in college and will likely have multiple roles for the 49ers, comparing him to Byron Young and Jalon Walker, who played under new 49ers defensive coordinator Raheem Morris with the Los Angeles Rams and Atlanta Falcons, respectively.—
Vic Tafur,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
While the third season finale of Apple TV’s Shrinking felt decidedly like a series finale, the show will indeed be back for a fourth season, with the story moving just a little bit further down the road.—
Scott Huver,
Deadline,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The core dispute is the skyrocketing cost of healthcare premiums.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Objects that formed between the soot and frost lines will be less dense, will have the capacity to possess some volatiles, and can have a wide variety of masses, but should always have rock-and-metal cores.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Non-volatile Particulate Matter (nvPM) counters measured soot and black carbon particles, while volatile aerosol and trace-gas instruments (chemiluminescent NOₓ analyzers, hygrometers, thermometers) logged exhaust and ambient chemistry.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
-
But in the quantum realm, randomness reigns; a particle comes with multiple quantum states, collapsing to just one of them in unpredictable ways.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Also known as wheat kernels, wheat berries are encased in husks zipped along the tops of stalks and removed in a process known as threshing.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The kernels are so juicy and just burst in your mouth.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nubbin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nubbin. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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