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Definition of drubbing

drubbing

/ˈdrʌb.ɪŋ/
drub · bing
Plural:drubbings
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drubbing Lexical Profile

drubbing Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A resounding defeat in a match, election, or competition.

Example

"The visiting team suffered a humiliating drubbing in the championship finals."

2

A severe physical beating or thrashing, especially with a stick or club.

Example

"In the 19th-century novel, the thief was threatened with a sound drubbing if he ever returned to the estate."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for drubbing
Antonyms
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• Rhymes for drubbing

• Nearby Words

drowsily
drowsiness
drowsy
drubbing
drudge
drudgery
drug

Word Origin & Etymology

Derived from the verb 'drub', which entered English in the 17th century via travelers to the Middle East, likely borrowed from the Arabic 'daraba' meaning 'to beat' (historically referring to the bastinado, a punishment of beating the soles of the feet with a stick).

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Drubbing. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/drubbing
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