# rub off

idiom

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

## Meaning

To be transferred with little or no effort.

## Examples

- His positive attitude seems to rub off on everyone around him.
- I hope some of her professional discipline will rub off on me while we work on this project together.
- Over years of close collaboration, the mentor's refined sense of ethics began to rub off on his younger colleagues, subtly altering the culture of the entire firm.

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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.