SKIP TO CONTENT

rubbery

/ˈrʌbəri/
IPA guide

Rubbery things have a tough, flexible texture, like a rubbery playground ball or a rubbery piece of American cheese.

You'll often find the adjective rubbery describing food that's unpleasant to chew, like rubbery pasta or overcooked, rubbery chicken. Things actually made out of rubber are rubbery too, like a rubbery water balloon or the pair of rubbery gloves your grandma uses for gardening. Rubbery comes from rubber, a noun that originally meant "an eraser made from a tropical plant," or in other words, "a thing that rubs."

Definitions of rubbery
  1. adjective
    having an elastic texture resembling rubber in flexibility or toughness
    synonyms: rubberlike
    elastic
    capable of resuming original shape after stretching or compression; springy
  2. adjective
    difficult to chew
    synonyms: cartilaginous, gristly
    tough
    resistant to cutting or chewing
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘rubbery'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family