1
as in chunks
a small uneven mass throw a nub of butter into the frying pan
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in roots
the central part or aspect of something under consideration the nub of the argument is that the intelligence agencies failed the country
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 nubs Her trick is to finely chop the ginger, instead of grating it, so there are spicy-sweet nubs in each bite. —
Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Mar. 2026 Best Nylabone chew toys for puppies This three-pack includes one softer starter bone with nubs that are great for teething, one slightly tougher bone to move onto and one edible bone. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026 Legs were wound down to nubs and heads inflated to egregious proportions. —Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026 Fumbling with the plastic nubs can be painful and frustrating. —Zoe Gates, Outside, 28 Oct. 2025 This wooden foot massager roller features an arched design and rows of nubs to hit different acupressure points to provide relief. —L. Daniela Alvarez, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Sep. 2025 My rubber-shod toes were pressed on little nubs the size of chicken nuggets. —Emily Meg Weinstein september 5, Literary Hub, 5 Sep. 2025
Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Mar. 2026 Best Nylabone chew toys for puppies This three-pack includes one softer starter bone with nubs that are great for teething, one slightly tougher bone to move onto and one edible bone. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026 Legs were wound down to nubs and heads inflated to egregious proportions. —Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026 Fumbling with the plastic nubs can be painful and frustrating. —Zoe Gates, Outside, 28 Oct. 2025 This wooden foot massager roller features an arched design and rows of nubs to hit different acupressure points to provide relief. —L. Daniela Alvarez, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Sep. 2025 My rubber-shod toes were pressed on little nubs the size of chicken nuggets. —Emily Meg Weinstein september 5, Literary Hub, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nubs
Noun
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Ice chunks were also moving through nearby Mullett Lake.— Sarah Brumfield, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
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Working with the Calling All Dreamers advisors, Christine Wonderson is figuring how to break the business down into more achievable chunks, rather than trying to do everything at once.— Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Besides being more manageable logistically, this style calls back to Healy’s fine-dining roots — think of a chef curating an ever-changing tasting menu — and also just speaks to Healy’s own personal preference.— Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 23 Apr. 2026
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The meal nods to Buenos Aires’ enduring devotion to its Italian roots, while landing squarely in step with how the city wants to eat right now.— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Mowing wet grass is messy, sticking to your mower and leaving behind clumps on your lawn that can harbor viruses and look bad.— Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026
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If there are heavier, harder-to-blow-away elements around them, planets can form around them, and if there are clumps of matter in the same cloud that haven’t quite grown enough to form stars when the rest of the material in the initial cloud blows away, what remains can be a planet, too.— Big Think, Big Think, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But Ashley and Austin, bless their hearts, would live in the throes of a careless spring, with mismatched furniture and super casual pastel curtains.— Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 20 Apr. 2026
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Hundreds of competitors went home without any prizes but with hearts full of youthful joy — thanks to a schoolyard game that’s over 2,000 years old.— Brian Cheung, NBC news, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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With a unique two-in-one design, this tool effectively removes any trace of stems, cores, and seeds from both full-size bell peppers and smaller ones like jalapenos.— Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
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Intel is still splitting its CPU cores between power-efficient E-cores and high-performance P-cores, but core counts overall are down relative to both previous-generation Core Ultra chips and older 12th- and 13th-generation Core chips.— Andrew Cunningham, ArsTechnica, 16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Cubans have long been accustomed to shopping with wads of cash stuffed into bags after compounding bouts of soaring inflation.— Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 8 Apr. 2026
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Our pants had been ripped from brush and windfalls, and wads of insulation were hanging out of mine.— Elwyn "Bud" Myers, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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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
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The kernels are so juicy and just burst in your mouth.— Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Inspired by both pre-Columbian cultures and modern scientific theories, Jensen made energetic diagrams of shapes, symbols, and numbers in loud complementary colors, using thick globs of paint; the results generate a fascinating friction.— Brian Seibert, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nubs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/nubs. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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