gobble

1 of 2

verb (1)

gob·​ble ˈgä-bəl 

gobbled; gobbling ˈgä-b(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to swallow or eat greedily

2

: to take eagerly : grab

—usually used with up

3

: to read rapidly or greedily

—usually used with up

gobble

2 of 2

verb (2)

gobbled; gobbling ˈgä-b(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to make the natural guttural noise of a male turkey

2

: to make a sound resembling the gobble of a turkey

gobble noun

Synonyms of gobble

Verb (1)

• devour
• inhale
• gulp

Examples of gobble in a Sentence

Verb (1)

gobbled the sandwiches like they hadn't eaten for days

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The other option, pushing the Super Bowl back a week, was initially rejected because New Orleans, the host city, had booked an automobile dealers’ convention that had gobbled up most of the desirable hotel rooms. — Michael Silver, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

The Preserve was first protected with the signing of a conservation easement in 2015 after nearly being gobbled up by private developers and years of staunch advocacy to preserve it. — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 7 Sep. 2026

In Wolf’s Belly, Little Red Riding Hood and Grandmother find themselves in a magical void with other fairytale characters that the wolf has gobbled up, including the Boy who Cried Wolf and a fourth Little Pig. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026

Osceola experts say these toms start gobbling in January and peak in March. — Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

probably irregular from gob entry 1

Verb (2)

imitative

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1680, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for gobble

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

Kids Definition

gobble

1 of 2 verb

gob·​ble ˈgäb-əl 

gobbled; gobbling -(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to swallow or eat greedily

2

: to take eagerly : grab

the small country was gobbled up by its neighbor

gobble

2 of 2 verb

: to make the sound of a male turkey

gobble noun