rub off on

B1 informal inseparable intransitive

In simple words

When you spend time with someone and you start to act like them — their good or bad habits start affecting you without you realising.

Literal meaning: The image comes from a substance rubbing off a surface onto another — here applied to intangible qualities.

Meanings

1 B1 idiomatic informal

common

Of a quality or habit: to be transferred unconsciously from one person to another through close contact or association.

"Her love of reading really rubbed off on her children — they all became bookworms."

Grammar: inseparable

Usage notes

Always used figuratively. The quality transfers from person A to person B — 'his enthusiasm rubbed off on the team'. Can apply to positive or negative traits. Common in all varieties of English. Often used with 'a bit', 'some', 'clearly'.

Commonly used with

enthusiasm confidence attitude pessimism style passion

Forms

Base

rub off on

I/you/we/they

3rd person

rubs off on

he/she/it

Past simple

rubed off on

yesterday

Past participle

rubed off on

have + pp

-ing form

rubing off on

continuous

Understand "rub off on" better

Try:

Real video examples

Video examples are being collected. Check back soon.

Want to master this phrasal verb?

Practice "rub off on" on Looplines