BOBBING Synonyms: 152 Similar and Opposite Words

bobbing 1 of 2

verb (1)

present participle of bob

as in shaving

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

bobbing

2 of 2

verb (2)

present participle of bob

as in pumping

to make short up-and-down movements a family of ducks bobbing on the water

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in slapping

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 bobbing

Verb

But the calm day gave way to terror when her uncle again looked out into the ocean and saw Summer’s head bobbing in and out of the water. — Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026 And when the sun is shining, that also means the water’s sparkling, sailboats are bobbing, and seagulls are cawing. — Madeline Bilis, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2026 Amidst all those endlessly traversing ships and bobbing cranes, commerce flourished. — Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 Despite Sarah’s flapping her cardigan in the air like a hungover color-guard girl at a homecoming parade, the hapless Irish naval men sent to save her remained beyond the bobbing waves. — Claire Carusillo, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026 Rapp and his crewmate, Suzanne Driscoll, hoisted a lobster trap marked by a bobbing buoy from the Casco Bay. — Natalie B. Compton The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 2 Aug. 2026 And that kind of thing didn’t happen in Mystic, a touristy escape from New York City complete with bobbing boats and sea lions doing tricks at the aquarium. — Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026 Emirates is rolling out a new type of headrest that will keep passengers from bobbing side to side in Economy Class seats. — Eve Chen, USA Today, 24 July 2026 Guidry, at the prow, raised the lantern, revealed in the circle oflight a bobbing tangle of sargassum weed, a swimming snake, a child’s cloth doll. — Literary Hub, 16 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bobbing

Verb

The 23-year-old and his Serbia team-mates won the Davis Cup for the first time in December 2010, and fulfilled a promise by shaving their heads in celebration.

— Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Go bananas with shaving cream Have your kids hop into a dry bathtub with their swimsuit on.

— Michelle Crouch, Parents, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of shaving

Verb

At the weigh-ins and face-off for the IBF heavyweight championship fight, Itauma shoved Hrgovic off the stage and the latter retaliated by slapping the former's face.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Already, Skubal’s joining in on pregame handshake lines and slapping the dugout railing in time to Roki Sasaki’s warm-up music.

— Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of slapping

Verb

Furthermore, Bailey stated that simply not cutting rates already constitutes monetary policy tightening.

— , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Enacting a solution is liable to be a significant political battle, likely involving cutting benefits for some Americans or raising taxes on higher earners, or both.

— Ashley Lopez, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of cutting

Verb

That afternoon, the president, inside the exposition’s ornate Temple of Music, greeted members of the public, shaking hands and warmly inviting them to explore the fair.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
The handcuffs were taken off, and he was allowed to board, shaking with shock.

— Shimon Prokupecz, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of shaking

Verb

Carrington was ejected from the game in the first half after smacking Cunningham across the face during Cunningham's layup attempt.

— Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Catcher Daniel Susac followed up Wednesday’s two-home-run game by smacking a two-run shot, and the Giants bullpen didn’t break down while protecting a 4-1 victory.

— Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 31 July 2026

Definition of smacking

Verb

The Daisy Chain crowd could be seen holding up their lights and swaying to the music.

— Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
Everyone seemingly watches them — and a little tennis — with a $23 Honey Deuce in one hand, swaying to DJ Trizz’s mixes on the sound system.

— Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of swaying

Browse Nearby Words

bobbinets

bobbing

bobbing (up)

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“Bobbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bobbing. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of bobbing

verb (1)

verb (2)

Example Sentences

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