bobbed; bobbing
1
: to strike with a quick light blow : rap
2
: to move up and down in a short quick movement
bob the head
3
: to polish with a bob : buff
1
a
: to move up and down briefly or repeatedly
b
: to emerge, arise, or appear suddenly or unexpectedly
2
: to nod or curtsy briefly
3
: to try to seize a suspended or floating object with the teeth
bobbed; bobbing
bobbed; bobbing
1
: to cut shorter : crop
bob a horse's tail
2
: to cut (hair) in the style of a bob
Examples of bob in a Sentence
Verb (1)
a family of ducks bobbing on the water
he playfully bobbed his brother on the nose to get his attention
Verb (3)
bobbed her waist-length hair herself on her 18th birthday
Recent Examples on the Web
Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 6 June 2026
While the view from my balcony, overlooking yachts bobbing in the marina and Table Mountain further beyond, was lovely, nothing compares to the two-bedroom Cape Grace suite, with its panoramic perch over the mountain and harbor.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 June 2026
Metallic cat-eye and chrome finishes give the effect of an ice-cold glass, while sheer jelly polishes look almost exactly like the paper-thin slice of lime bobbing in your drink.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 29 May 2026
The enthusiasm was apparent as the catamaran bobbed around the future site of Pier Wind, which recently received a $20-million grant from the California Energy Commission.
—Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bob
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Verb
The strips are piled high in plastic bins, sprawled over tables and fed underneath bobbing needles.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 6 June 2026
While the view from my balcony, overlooking yachts bobbing in the marina and Table Mountain further beyond, was lovely, nothing compares to the two-bedroom Cape Grace suite, with its panoramic perch over the mountain and harbor.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 June 2026
Metallic cat-eye and chrome finishes give the effect of an ice-cold glass, while sheer jelly polishes look almost exactly like the paper-thin slice of lime bobbing in your drink.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 29 May 2026
The enthusiasm was apparent as the catamaran bobbed around the future site of Pier Wind, which recently received a $20-million grant from the California Energy Commission.
—Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bob
Cite this Entry
“Bob.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bob. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bob
1 of 4 verb
bobbed; bobbing
1
a
: to move or cause to move up and down in a short quick movement
bob the head
a cork bobbing in the water
b
: to appear suddenly or unexpectedly
may bob up anywhere
2
: to grasp or make a grab with the teeth
bob for apples
bob
2 of 4 noun
: a short jerky motion
a bob of the head
bob
3 of 4 nounEtymology
Verb
Middle English boben, bobben "to hit or beat"
Noun
from earlier bob "a knot or twist of yarn or hair," from Middle English bobbe "bunch, cluster"
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