boob

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈbüb 

1

: a stupid awkward person : simpleton

2

: boor, philistine

Compared to the civilized and educated European, the American seemed a boob.

—J. T. Farrell

boobish

ˈbü-bish 

adjective

boob

2 of 4

noun (2)

British

: mistake, blunder

boob

3 of 4

verb

boobed; boobing; boobs

intransitive verb

British

: goof sense 2

realised that he had boobed by paying too much

boob

4 of 4

noun (3)

sometimes impolite

: breast

Synonyms of boob

Noun (2)

• mistake
• error
• blunder

Verb

• fumble
• stumble
• trip
• blunder

Examples of boob in a Sentence

Noun (2)

made an embarrassing boob on a chat show that had all of London laughing

Verb

it was an important speech, and the prime minister knew that he could not afford to boob on it

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The boob jokes were predictable during her frequent appearances on talk and variety shows. — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Dolly revealed everything, told anyone who asked about the wigs, the eyelashes, the boobs, the boob jobs. — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026

Verb

Slash to appear post-birth-disappearance decently alert at hard taco brunch with other adults who have been wondering about you, as in about your wholeness as a person—then boob communications from a baby not even present arrive. — Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1), Noun (2), and Verb

short for booby entry 1

Noun (3)

short for booby entry 2

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1907, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1959, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1914, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

circa 1931, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for boob

• cube
• lube
• rube
• tube
• hypercube
• nanotube
• phototube