rub in

British  

verb

1. to spread with pressure, esp in order to cause to be absorbed

2. informal to harp on (something distasteful to a person, of which he or she does not wish to be reminded)

---

rub in Idioms  

1. Also, rub it in. Harp on something, especially an unpleasant matter, as in She always rubs in the fact that she graduated with honors and I didn't, or I know I forgot your birthday, but don't keep rubbing it in. This idiom alludes to the expression rub salt into a wound, an action that makes the wound more painful; it dates from medieval times and remains current. [Mid-1800s] Also see rub someone's nose in it.

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rub in

Also unsatisfied are those who approve of nothing he has done and yet are happy to rub in his face his TACO-like unwillingness to engage in further acts of which they would also disapprove.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 10, 2026

And if you’re a hairy man, be sure to carefully rub in the sunscreen, says Stacy P. Salob, clinical assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical College.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 16, 2023

My mom warned me against trying to rub in the detergent, which she explained might actually remove the color of the jeans themselves.

From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2022

Wallerstein said it's not unusual for a calf to part from its parents and explore the coast, feed off the ocean floor and rub in the sand.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2014

They were, badly, and she let him rub in the bloodmoss salve, closing her eyes and gritting her teeth.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman

Related Words

• accentuate
• affirm
• assert
• highlight
• indicate
• maintain
• point out
• reiterate
• repeat
• underline
• underscore