# rub off

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/rub-off
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to have your qualities or habits pass to someone else because you spend time together. If you are happy, your good mood might rub off on your friends.

For teachers: to be transferred by contact or association, particularly regarding qualities, behaviors, or moods. The verb is intransitive and typically requires the preposition 'on' to specify the recipient.

## Examples

- I hope your luck rubs off on me today.
- After working with such a professional team for a year, their high standards really started to rub off on the new intern.
- The professor's infectious passion for classical literature rubbed off on his students, many of whom eventually pursued advanced degrees in the humanities.

## Pitfalls

- Not "His bad mood rubbed off me." but "His bad mood rubbed off on me." — The preposition 'on' is necessary to connect the action to the person being affected.

## Usage notes

- This phrase is almost always used with the preposition 'on' followed by a person.
- Teaching tip: Use the physical image of paint or dust transferring from one surface to another to help students visualize how a mood or habit 'rubs off'.

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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.