bobbed 1 of 2

verb (1)

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bobbed

2 of 2

verb (2)

past tense of bob
1
as in pumped
to make short up-and-down movements a family of ducks bobbing on the water

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in smacked
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 bobbed
Verb
My Lady Clam bobbed in the water, which didn’t look so turbulent from where Kath sat. — Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026 One afternoon as a rookie, listening to coaches drone on in a dark room with film cutups flashing in front of them, his head bobbed. — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 24 July 2026 Six young women — hair fashionably bobbed, shins covered by knee-high socks — posed in dark, modest swimming suits in the tiled abyss of an empty swimming pool. — Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026 Wooden boats bobbed in long rows, their names and registration numbers hand-painted on the hulls, as men in neon vests unloaded catch and frigate birds swooped down to pick at the scraps. — Will Freeman, New Yorker, 30 June 2026 Yellow dandelions bobbed in the breeze. — Maggie Slepian, Longreads, 14 May 2026 Dead fish bobbed on the river’s surface as wastewater ran off directly into the Conasauga. — Dylan Jackson, ABC News, 6 May 2026 Crews then raced to recover the astronauts aboard the vehicle, which bobbed for a few hours in the Pacific Ocean near California. — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026 Draped across a sumptuous velvet chaise longue within the art deco splendour of Eltham Palace, Susie Cave is moonlighting as a fabulous Biba-bobbed lady of the manor. — Alice Newbold, Vogue, 20 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bobbed
  1. shaved
  2. pumped
  3. smacked
  4. cut
  5. shook
  6. slapped
  7. clipped
  8. jerked
Verb
  • Luckily, Atlanta is home to a wider world of frozen desserts, from Indonesian shaved ice to Mexican popsicles.
    — Lia Picard - For the AJC, AJC.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • At 25, England cricketer Chris Lewis experienced an even more direct consequence after team-mate Devon Malcolm shaved his head during England’s 1994 West Indies tour to raise money for Children in Need.
    — Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of shaved
Verb
  • Today, Earth is being heated by massive amounts of greenhouse gases being pumped into the atmosphere, leading to a gradual rise in average global temperature.
    — Peter Prengaman, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026
  • When pumped with a 940-nanometer Ti laser, the waveguides produced laser light at 1,030 nanometers.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of pumped
Verb
  • Brady House smacked a three-run homer, Jackson Kent pitched seven innings of one-run ball to earn his first major league win and the Washington Nationals beat the visiting Miami Marlins 9-2 on Friday.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
  • In last fall’s season-opener, the Irish smacked Chicago Christian 47-6.
    — Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of smacked
Verb
  • The threat of shortages pushed countries across Asia to impose export bans, cut import duties, and start rationing fuel to maintain supplies.
    — Katie Silver, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Unlike the heavy smoky eyes and cut creases of the 2010s, this trend is throwing it back to the 1990s when smoky eyes were more minimalist.
    — Elle Turner, Glamour, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of cut
Verb
  • Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have decided to move from from their Montecito idyll to the United Kingdom in mere weeks, news that generated countless headlines and shook royal society to its core.
    — Chandler Tregaskes, Vanity Fair, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The temblor set off emergency quake alerts on mobile phones and also significantly shook Tokyo.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of shook
Verb
  • While outlining the details of Clancy's suicide attempt, Reddington slapped a quarter on the table and addressed the prosecutors in what appeared to be a direct challenge to the state.
    — Sumiko Corley, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Over the years, the United States has slapped Iran with countless sanctions targeting its banking system, shipping companies, oil industry and military.
    — Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of slapped
Verb
  • Councilwoman Laura Madigan, D-Ward 1, said the issue surfaced again about two years ago after a semi-truck apparently clipped a new streetlight while making the turn onto Lincoln Street.
    — Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • His rhythm is clipped instead of musical, and Truman chooses to emphasize the words of his speech without emotion.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of clipped
Verb
  • But in 1933, within a matter of days, they were jerked back into reality.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Once the squid gather near the surface, lines fitted with bait are lowered into the water and rapidly jerked up and down to imitate small prey such as shrimp, triggering strikes before the catch is reeled aboard.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 20 June 2026
Definition of jerked

Browse Nearby Words

bob
bobbed
bobbed (up)
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Cite this Entry

“Bobbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bobbed. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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