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

And while the ’90s and early aughts had boobs, the 2020s saw the phenomenon of a new asset thanks to the fashion trend of naked dressing. —Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 3 Mar. 2026

Wondering how to use boob tape? —Adrianne Webster, Glamour, 3 Mar. 2026

Bieber’s revealing cowl-neck design featured an open back, a side boob-baring bodice, and intricate beads covering her halterneck dress’s hips, chest, and a sheer peekaboo mesh panel inside. —Lara Walsh, InStyle, 15 Feb. 2026

The wallpaper near the bathrooms didn’t change, either: Those are prints of the owners’ wives’ boobs and butts, repeated in a pattern. —Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 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