earbud

noun

ear·​bud ˈir-ˌbəd How to pronounce earbud (audio)
: a small earphone inserted into the ear

Examples of earbud in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
On land, louder environments like running alongside traffic might compete a little too much with talking audio – noise-canceling earbuds or over-ear headphones are better in this setting. New Atlas, 19 Oct. 2025 Its neckband design keeps them safely around your neck, while the magnetic earbuds snap together when not in use. PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025 Live Translation, in aiming to fix all that messiness in an algorithm streamed through Bluetooth earbuds, is not opening human communication up so much as flattening it. Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025 It’s made more challenging by the high number of people using earbuds, who are completely surprised. Judith Martin, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for earbud

Word History

First Known Use

1984, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of earbud was in 1984

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Cite this Entry

“Earbud.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earbud. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

earbud

noun
ear·​bud ˈi(ə)r-ˌbəd How to pronounce earbud (audio)
: a small earphone inserted into the ear

More from Merriam-Webster on earbud

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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