hobo

1 of 2

noun

ho·bo ˈhō-(ˌ)bō

plural hoboes also hobos

Synonyms of hobo next

: a migratory worker

: a homeless and usually penniless vagabond

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

Example Sentences

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

From leather totes to raffia hobos to beach bags, here are our favorite big bags to carry now and forever. —

Sophie Dweck, Town & Country, 27 Mar. 2023 The lightweight, vegan leather convertible hobo features a lockable luggage sleeve, a grab-and-go phone pocket to keep your cell handy, an elastic key leash, a wristlet strap, lipstick and pen loops, plus many more compartments and organization options. —

Saryn Chorney, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2023 Khaite Beatrice Large Knot Hobo Bag Now 10% Off $1,800 at Bergdorf Goodman The fall runways had one thing to say about designer totes and hobo bags: the bigger, the better. —

Halie Lesavage, Harper's BAZAAR, 8 Mar. 2023 Totes were heavily featured in a lengthy list of hot-ticket shows like Sandy Liang, Coach, Proenza Schouler, Collina Estrada, Luar, Ulla Johnson, and even Brandon Maxwell, where models used huge hobo bags as clutches. —

Meg Donohue, ELLE, 22 Feb. 2023 Limitless has a simple set-up: loser/author Bradley Cooper who lives in filth and dresses like a hobo is offered a pill that will make everything all better. —

Kyle Munkittrick, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2011 An African's eye view of Western aid campaigns The piecemeal existence of the pen-wielding hobo. —

Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 14 July 2012 Additional bullet points include exhortations to boycott products marked as Lite; hex the Muzak company; go on strike; dance all night; start a pirate radio station; put up posters; home-school your kids or teach them a craft; don’t vote; be a hobo. —

New York Times, 11 June 2022 Do yourself a favor and swap out your boxy bag for a hobo. —

Sarah Boyd, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2022 See More

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.