# scrub

/ˈskɹəb/ (US) · /skɹˈʌb/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/scrub
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to clean by rubbing

verb · CEFR B1

to rub something hard with a brush or cloth to clean it.

For teachers: to clean or scour a surface by applying vigorous friction, typically with a stiff brush and water.

- You need to scrub the kitchen floor to get those muddy footprints off.
- The maintenance crew had to scrub the stone walls for hours to remove the layers of accumulated grime and graffiti.

### 2. to cancel

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to decide not to do something that was planned.

For teachers: to cancel or abandon a scheduled event or project, often at short notice.

- The company decided to scrub the project because it was too expensive.
- The mission director was forced to scrub the launch just minutes before lift-off due to a sudden change in wind speed.

### 3. medical clothes

noun · CEFR B2

the loose clothes that doctors and nurses wear in a hospital.

For teachers: hygienic clothing worn by surgeons and other operating room personnel, now used broadly for any medical uniform.

- The surgeon changed into her green scrubs before the operation started.
- After a long shift in the emergency room, his blue scrubs were wrinkled and stained with coffee.

Usage: Usually used in the plural form 'scrubs'.

### 5. an incompetent person

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal

someone who is not good at something or has no money or style.

For teachers: a derogatory term for a person perceived as inferior, incompetent, or unsuccessful.

- He's just a scrub who spends all day complaining and doing nothing.
- The veteran players had little patience for the new recruit, dismissively labeling him a scrub after his first few mistakes on the field.

Teaching tip: This term was popularized in 1990s pop culture to describe a man who is unsuccessful or lacks ambition.

## Examples

- You need to scrub the floor to get the mud off.
- The surgeon must scrub her hands and forearms thoroughly before entering the operating room to maintain a sterile environment.
- After years of neglect, the stone walls required a team of specialists to scrub away the thick layers of soot and grime that had accumulated from the nearby factory.

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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.