rub someone's face in

verb

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see rub, face, in.

Meanings

verbrub someone's face in (third-person singular simple present rubs someone's face in, present participle rubbing someone's face in, simple past and past participle rubbed someone's face in)

present singular third person rubs someone's face in · participle present rubbing someone's face in · participle past rubbed someone's face in · past rubbed someone's face in

  1. alternativeAlternative form of rub someone's nose in.

    Jake bristled at the insinuation that he never visited his father unless he wanted something. Even if it was true, Joe didn't need to rub his face in it.

    2014, Jami Davenport, Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?, →ISBN
    2 more examples

    This weekend you're here to rub his face in one failure, his not securing a Beaumaris to marry one of his stepdaughters, while I rub his nose in the ultimate failure for any Beaumaris, true or not, by informing him he needs to pack his bags and get...the fuck...out.

    2011, Kristen Ashley, Penmort Castle, →ISBN

    Leaving it out would only make Geraint think she was taunting him with it, trying to rub his face in the fact they'd found not one but two of the treasures, and instead of building bridges between them it would only serve to burn them.

    2014, Alex Archer, Celtic Fire, →ISBN
  2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see rub, face, in.
Cite this entry
APA

rub someone's face in. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rub%20someone's%20face%20in

MLA

“rub someone's face in.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rub%20someone's%20face%20in. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “rub someone's face in,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rub%20someone's%20face%20in.

Source: rub someone's face in on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.