bobble

1 of 2

verb

bob·​ble ˈbä-bəl 

bobbled; bobbling ˈbä-b(ə-)liŋ 

1

: bob entry 1

2

: fumble

bobble

2 of 2

noun

1

: a repeated bobbing movement

2

: a small ball of fabric

especially : one in a series used on an edging

3

: error, mistake

especially : a mishandling of the ball in baseball or football

Synonyms of bobble

Verb

• fumble
• blow

Noun

• mistake
• blunder
• error
• fumble

Examples of bobble in a Sentence

Verb

The catcher bobbled the ball.

the first baseman bobbled the catch, so the runner was safe

Noun

a bobble that cost them the game

The curtains have a series of bobbles along the edge.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

With about 2 1/2 minutes left in the first period against Montreal, Björck lost the draw, but stayed in position above the play and covered for teammate Alexandre Taillefer when the defenceman bobbled a Canadiens clearing attempt. — Murat Ates, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

William Contreras hit what appeared to be a double-play ground ball to shortstop, but Elly De La Cruz bobbled it to load the bases. — ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026

Noun

Meanwhile, the Dodgers added two more insurance runs in the fifth with a solo homer from Ohtani, a double from Pages and a couple of defensive bobbles by the Rockies. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Others secured the football, either cleanly or after a brief bobble. — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

frequentative of bob entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1812, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1836, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for bobble

• bauble
• cobble
• gobble
• hobble
• labile
• squabble
• wobble
• cantabile

Kids Definition

bobble

verb

bob·​ble

ˈbäb-əl

bobbled; bobbling

ˈbäb-(ə-)liŋ

1

: bob entry 1 sense 1a

2

: to handle in a clumsy or unsure way : fumble

bobble noun