# rub in

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/rub-in
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To make a point in an irritatingly emphatic manner.

## Examples

- I know I lost, so please stop rubbing it in.
- He kept rubbing in the fact that he got a promotion while I was still looking for work.
- Although he knew his colleague was already devastated by the failed project, he could not resist rubbing in his own superior performance during the meeting.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.