scrubs 1 of 2

Definition of scrubsnext
plural of scrub
as in dwarfs
a living thing much smaller than others of its kind that scrub of a mutt turned out to be the smartest dog we ever had

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

scrubs

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of scrub

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of scrubs
Noun
Harsh scrubs and aggressive exfoliation can compromise the skin barrier, leading to dryness and inflammation — both of which make fine lines more visible. Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026 Bryant, who appeared in court in green jail scrubs with a white long sleeve shirt underneath, flashed a thumbs-up to his stepfather at the end of the proceeding. Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026 The spa The treatments run the gamut from body scrubs and acupuncture to IV infusions and cryotherapy. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Apr. 2026 Exfoliate gently and strategically Exfoliation helps clear away dull surface cells, but the emphasis for maturing skin is on gentle chemical options rather than harsh physical scrubs. Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026 Harsh physical scrubs or aggressive chemical peels can damage mature skin and cause more harm than good. Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2026 The rebrand was a chance to refocus on the best sellers, like body lotions, washes, and scrubs—all of which happen to lend themselves quite well to being refilled. Kara McGrath, Allure, 22 Apr. 2026 The 7,000-square-foot spa features a red-light therapy room, cryotherapy loungers, and a sauna, along with a menu of indulgent facials, body scrubs, and massages. Karla Walsh, Travel + Leisure, 19 Apr. 2026 While scrubs, especially black ones, are pretty indestructible, the costume department still meticulously ages them and accounts for wear as the day shift goes on. Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
Anti-dictatorship, but for kids Serkis scrubs the story of its violence, at least in any graphic manner. Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026 If one person always scrubs toilet bowl rings, resentment can build, so try to get ahead of that. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Feb. 2026 Precipitation scrubs the atmosphere clean, picking up pollutants on its way down to the ground. Isabel Lopez, Parents, 11 Feb. 2026 China operates one of the world’s most extensive online censorship and surveillance regimes that scrubs political dissent and criticism of the ruling Communist Party’s leadership and ideologies, including a drive against feminine portrayals of men in pop culture. Steven Jiang, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025 And then there's the dish brush, which scrubs away grease and grime with less effort. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 29 Oct. 2025 As the government scrubs websites, formerly reliable sources of information have disappeared. Judy Stone, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025 Working as part of a collaboration often scrubs the more human elements from the story, those moments that might be unflattering are the moments that remind people that these mythic figures of our imagination are, in fact, flawed humans, just like you and me. Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrubs
Noun
  • Big money, uneven returns Steyer’s spending dwarfs every other candidate.
    Grace Hase, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Look for taller varieties and avoid dwarfs.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The current proposal before the board scraps 800 jobs, but community pushback has delayed the decision.
    Natalie La Roche Pietri, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
  • But then Belly scraps her Parisian plans and pledges her young life to Jeremiah, a rising super senior at Finch majoring in getting high and going to Cabo (which, quite honestly, is more age-appropriate than a wedding).
    Vogue, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The three eventually work out their differences but not before Edgar turns Miles’s proto-smart-home devices against him, cancels his credit cards, and forges a criminal record for him.
    Keith Phipps, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Instead, teen boys are quietly swapping first dates, awkward silences, and emotional guesswork for an AI girlfriend who never cancels, never argues, and always texts back.
    Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • From midgets to Indy cars, from sprint cars to stock cars, Stewart was at home behind the wheel.
    Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • What to read next The USSR withdraws troops from the border with Afghanistan, as Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev abandons invasion plans to focus his resources on the Space Race.
    Richard Edwards, Space.com, 17 Apr. 2026
  • God abandons the human race and lets people live out their days as the animal of their choice.
    Mariella Rudi, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Jamie requests an audience with the families and revokes their letters of banishment.
    Lincee Ray, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026
  • If a court revokes citizenship on those grounds, the person could become subject to removal proceedings.
    Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • In the event that an operator aborts an interception, the drone will fly back to base ready to be used again — a potential major cost-saver.
    Alex Holmes, NBC news, 12 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Scrubs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrubs. Accessed 3 May. 2026.

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