hobo

1 of 2

noun

ho·​bo ˈhō-(ˌ)bō How to pronounce hobo (audio)
plural hoboes also hobos
1
: a migratory worker
2
: a homeless and usually penniless vagabond
3
or less commonly hobo bag : a large shoulder bag shaped like a pouch
To punctuate the all-blue outfit, the actress slung on an unstructured, oversized suede hobo, a practical antidote to the current craze for fanny packs and mini bags.Edward Barsamian

hobo

2 of 2

verb

hoboed; hoboing; hobos

intransitive verb

: to live or travel in the manner of a hobo

Examples of hobo in a Sentence

Noun kind folks who always gave hoboes who came to the farm a meal and then sent them on their way
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
It is commonly thought that hobo and brown recluse spiders cause necrotic bites in this state, when in fact the brown recluse is not found in Oregon and the hobo spider does not cause necrotic bites. oregonlive, 18 July 2023 The shoulder strap can be adjusted to look like a hobo bag, or, in its full length, it can be carried as a comfortable messenger. Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2024 Saint Laurent Le 5 à 7 suede and genuine shearling hobo Cozy up this winter with shearling accessories. Porter Simmons, Vogue, 24 Nov. 2023 Mango studded shoulder bag The tough attitude of studs meets the soft allure of a hobo bag in this perfectly cool design. Porter Simmons, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2023 It should be noted that much of the discussion about the park, between the City Council and citizens, involved whether a fence needed to be built around the park to discourage the hobos and tramps, who traveled along the railroad, from taking up residence in the park. Kevin Dayhoff, Baltimore Sun, 25 Aug. 2023 The Crown actor accessorized with chunky black loafers, a white mini hobo bag and a dainty gold chain. Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 3 Oct. 2023 Prada Re-Edition 2000 mini hobo bag Wolford V-neck bodysuit Prada midi-skirt Dr. Martens 1460 boots The Most Mini Mini-Bag This Vogue World: London showgoer kept things cool-cool with baggy oversized jeans, fraying at the hem, a trench coat, and Jacquemus’s tiny bag by his side. Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 19 Sep. 2023 Lots of elderly people once lived in small towns and encountered authentic train-hopping hobos. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 24 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hobo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1885, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1892, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hobo was in 1885

Dictionary Entries Near hobo

Cite this Entry

“Hobo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hobo. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hobo

noun
ho·​bo
ˈhō-bō
plural hoboes also hobos
: a homeless and usually penniless wanderer : tramp
hobo verb

More from Merriam-Webster on hobo

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