bob 1 of 3

verb (1)

Definition of bobnext
as in to shave
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument bobbed her waist-length hair herself on her 18th birthday

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bob

2 of 3

verb (2)

ˈbäb How to pronounce bob (audio)
1
as in to pump
to make short up-and-down movements a family of ducks bobbing on the water

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2
as in to hit
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner he playfully bobbed his brother on the nose to get his attention

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bob

3 of 3

noun

Scottish
as in bouquet
a bunch of flowers the lassie carried only a little bob on her wedding day

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bob
Verb
Secure bags together with an industry secret Airline staff have an ability to bob and weave through terminals without fumbling their bags. — Abbey Hudetz, Travel + Leisure, 18 Sep. 2026 As the balloon carrying the cauldron rose and bobbed a couple hundred feet overhead, many got busy taking photos and recording videos and selfies. — Hannah Bloch, NPR, 9 Sep. 2026
Noun
Another notable look featured Chastain rocking a voluminous, curly bob while posing in a cobalt blue satin gown. — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 8 Oct. 2026 It’s been five years since Eilish went platinum blonde, debuting a Marilyn Monroe-esque bob styled in Old Hollywood waves at the 2021 Met Gala. — Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bob
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bob
  1. shave
  2. pump
  3. hit
  4. bouquet
  5. cut
  6. shake
  7. bang
  8. trim
Verb
  • While fashion has spent decades trying to shave seconds off sewing time, this occupies only a fraction of a much longer timeline for getting a shirt to the shop floor.
    — Jessica Binns, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Miley Cyrus shaved the head of a fan who’s being treated for breast cancer.
    — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of shave
Verb
  • An April 9 strike on a pumping station cut throughput by about 700,000 barrels a day before Saudi Arabia restored full capacity days later.
    — Steven John, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The result could spur a global scramble to pump more oil as quickly as possible, leaving the kingdom fighting to win back market share when the conflict ends amid a glut and lower prices.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of pump
Verb
  • Social media giant Meta was hit with a class action lawsuit in Australia on behalf of children and teenagers who allegedly suffered harm over the addictive design features and exposure to harmful content on its platforms Facebook and Instagram.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
  • For the past few years, Baba Stiltz has been hitting the open road with nothing but a guitar, a tape deck, and a few pedals.
    — Harry Thorfinn-George, Pitchfork, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of hit
Noun
  • Upon landing in Samarkand on Sunday night, Rubio was warmly embraced by Uzbekistan’s foreign minister, Bakhtiyor Saidov, while two women clad in elaborate gold-and-black traditional dresses presented him with a bouquet.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Reading had reached out to local florists about a relaxed, wildflower-style bridal bouquet and was shocked to receive a quote of $400 for the bouquet alone.
    — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of bouquet
Verb
  • The defense once again gave the offense an opportunity, forcing an Argyle punt, and this time, Heritage capitalized with a 2-yard rushing TD from Vargas to cut the lead to 7 points.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Later that month, Achilles, a university lecturer, cut a campaign ad in the spirit of a tongue-in-cheek corporate training video on how to avoid starting a foreign war.
    — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of cut
Verb
  • Sitake winds up practice with a prayer and insists that the defense and offense shake hands after going at one another all day.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Mothers who beat, shook, shot, drowned, strangled, and stabbed their babies.
    — Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of shake
Verb
  • Canada banged awkwardly into Williams’ knee on a box out during her late free throws and the Valkyries star was being cared for by an athletic trainer on the bench in the waning moments.
    — Janie McCauley, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Canada banged awkwardly into Williams’ knee on a box out during her late free throws and the Valkyries’ star was being cared for by an athletic trainer on the bench in the waning moments.
    — Janie McCauley, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of bang
Verb
  • The outlet says that OpenAI wants to capitalize on revenue growth from its GPT-6 Astra model and higher usage that’s come from its decision to trim prices on its cheaper models.
    — John Kell, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • When Cleveland trimmed the lead to 3-1 in the sixth inning, Tampa answered with a two-run homer by Junior Caminero in the seventh.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of trim

Browse Nearby Words

boats
bob
bobbed
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Cite this Entry

“Bob.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bob. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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