variants or good ol' boy or good ole boy
: a usually white Southerner who conforms to the values, culture, or behavior of his peers

Examples of good old boy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Dylan would've been one of those good old boys in his overalls, in the coffee shop, chewing straw, drinking coffee. Wendy Geller, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2023 The familiar scene of Confederate flags waved by fans at NASCAR tracks could soon be a relic of racing's good ol' boy roots. CBS News, 10 June 2020 By the time Frances Lee McCain shows up as the malevolent Ma to Bridges’ good old boy Pa Kettle, all remaining sharks have been jumped. Dennis Harvey, Variety, 8 Sep. 2022 Then there's the excellent Gil Birmingham as his half-Native partner who can almost, but never quite, shrug off the salty Bridges' good old boy racist teasing. Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 2 Aug. 2022 Elvis' 1970 Las Vegas residency sees the Inspirations ably sweetening the King's sound, all while his good old boy Memphis Mafia competes for their boss' attention. Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 13 July 2022 Clarke is suitably creepy, his Carl a good old boy who might just cut your head off. Bill Goodykoontz, Detroit Free Press, 18 Sep. 2020 In Carthage, that means identifying a local to serve as his straw man (and potential patsy), settling eventually on good old boy Tyler Lee, who bartends at a bikini club, and his good Christian wife Chalene, she of the bake sales and six children. Tod Goldberg, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of good old boy was in 1882

Dictionary Entries Near good old boy

Cite this Entry

“Good old boy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/good%20old%20boy. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.

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