nubbin

noun

ˈnə-bən How to pronounce nubbin (audio)
Definition of nubbinnext
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

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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nubbin
  1. speck
  2. root
  3. fleck
  4. heart
  5. bit
  6. core
  7. particle
  8. kernel
Noun
  • The period is 2006, when the golden age of streamable content is barely a speck on the media horizon.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026
  • To make matters worse, the Houthis have captured new terrain in Yemen and acquired Perim Island, a speck of land inside the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint that better positions the Yemeni militia to intercept oil tankers.
    — Daniel DePetris, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of speck
Noun
  • Before looking at groundwater, the team tested similar sensors to guide breast cancer surgery and to image root systems in plant biology.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Vest’s campus roots Ma, 25, became interested in crypto derivatives while studying finance and philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania.
    — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of root
Noun
  • As few as 10 cells, hidden in an infinitesimal fleck of feces, can contaminate raw milk and trigger a fatal infection.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The oversized jacket featured a furry white base adorned with flecks of silver, which beautifully mirrored the sumptuous coats on the runway.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of fleck
Noun
  • Brockman’s message received 40 hearts, five checkmarks, and three thank-you emojis.
    — Garrison Lovely, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Many dietary recommendations overlap with long-standing heart-health advice, such as eating more fruits, vegetables and fish.
    — Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of heart
Noun
  • This whole bit is totally misplayed (though the gown is spectacular).
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Yet beneath that paper-like surface is a surprisingly simple bit of physics.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of bit
Noun
  • The safety filing delivers the core engineering and operational data needed for federal oversight.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Sayegh also puts her staying power down to her father’s influence, which instilled core values like honoring deals, treating people with respect and booking movies based on audience demand and not personal taste.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of core
Noun
  • Neutrinos bump into other particles only rarely, so scientists build large detectors to improve their odds of catching collisions.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Detecting cosmic ghosts Neutrinos are the second-most prevalent particles in the entire universe besides photons, particles of light.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of particle
Noun
  • Meanwhile, Argon agents have been working to migrate C/C++ codebases to Rust across Google, including thousands of lines in the core re2 and libgav1 libraries and more than 800,000 lines in the Fuchsia OS Zircon kernel.
    — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 30 Sep. 2026
  • What has that been like knowing that there are kernels of somebody’s real story in this fictional story?
    — Ronda Racha Penrice, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of kernel

Browse Nearby Words

nub
nubbin
nubbins
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Cite this Entry

“Nubbin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nubbin. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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