rubbery

American  

[ruhb-uh-ree] / ˈrʌb ə ri /

adjective

1. like rubber; elastic; tough.

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rubbery British  

/ ˈrʌbərɪ /

adjective

1. having the texture of or resembling rubber, esp in flexibility or toughness

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Etymology

Origin of rubbery

First recorded in 1905–10; rubber ¹ + -y ¹

Explanation

Rubbery things have a tough, flexible texture, like a rubbery playground ball or a rubbery piece of American cheese. You'll often find the adjective rubbery describing food that's unpleasant to chew, like rubbery pasta or overcooked, rubbery chicken. Things actually made out of rubber are rubbery too, like a rubbery water balloon or the pair of rubbery gloves your grandma uses for gardening. Rubbery comes from rubber, a noun that originally meant "an eraser made from a tropical plant," or in other words, "a thing that rubs."

Example Sentences

There’s a bit of resistance, too, that’s almost rubbery.

From Salon • Feb. 21, 2026

Read's agency is currently funding various pioneering approaches to robotics, some of which involve actuators made of elastomers – like rubbery plastics.

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026

A quick poach at home guarantees they won’t be rubbery or bland like the pre-cooked kind so often are.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 15, 2025

Others overworked their pastry, which resulted in a tough, rubbery texture.

From Salon • Oct. 15, 2025

Nancy was pulling the chewed gum from her mouth and stretching it out with both hands so that it was a flat, rubbery piece punctured with holes.

From "Homesick" by Jean Fritz

Related Words

• buoyant
• strong
• supple
• tough
• volatile