knob

noun

ˈnäb 

1

a

: a small rounded ornament or handle

b

: a rounded protuberance : lump

2

: a rounded usually isolated hill or mountain

knobbed

ˈnäbd 

adjective

knobby

ˈnä-bē 

adjective

Synonyms of knob

• chunk
• hunk
• clump
• wad
• glob
• lump

Examples of knob in a Sentence

a carved walking stick with a silver knob

toss a knob of butter into the frying pan

Recent Examples on the Web

Simple and stylish, this small microwave uses classic dial control knobs to set the timer up to 35 minutes and adjust the cooking power. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2026

There’s no flavoring your instrument outside of its own knobs or pre-amp, nor is there any gain to get overdrive. —Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2026

In the wake of the scare, Rocky has taken extra precautions, purchasing childproof safety locks for her stove knobs to help prevent accidental activation in the future. —Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026

Compared to my Telecaster and Stratocaster with their pickups, their wiring, their knobs and switches, the classical guitar has a certain simplicity in the way this wood resonates and thereby creates music. —Peter Wayne Moe, Longreads, 26 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English knobbe; akin to Middle Low German knubbe knob

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing knob

• stop knob

Rhymes for knob

• blob
• bob
• cob
• daub
• fob
• glob
• gob
• hob
• job
• lob
• mob
• rob

Kids Definition

knob

noun

ˈnäb 

1

a

: a rounded lump

b

: a small rounded handle

2

: a rounded hill

knobbed

ˈnäbd 

adjective

knobby

ˈnäb-ē 

adjective

Medical Definition

knob

noun

ˈnäb 

: a rounded protuberance or lump

knobby

ˈnäb-ē 

adjective