lob

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈläb 

dialectal British

: a dull heavy person : lout

lob

2 of 4

verb

lobbed; lobbing

transitive verb

1

: to let hang heavily : droop

2

: to throw, hit, or propel easily or in a high arc

3

: to direct (something, such as a question or comment) so as to elicit a response

intransitive verb

1

a

: to move slowly and heavily

b

: to move in an arc

2

: to hit a tennis ball easily in a high arc

lob

3 of 4

noun (2)

: a soft high-arching shot, throw, or kick

lob-

4 of 4

combining form

variants or lobo-

: lobe

lobar

lobotomy

Synonyms of lob

Verb

• throw
• hurl
• toss
• fling

Examples of lob in a Sentence

Verb

She lobbed a throw to the pitcher.

The soldier lobbed a grenade into the bunker.

He lobbed the ball over his opponent's head.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In the first couple of images, Longoria paired her lob with a nude scoop-neck top and a single-breasted wool coat. —Hannah Malach, InStyle, 9 Mar. 2026

By the time halftime rolled around, Candler and Weems were trading lob passes back and forth on the fast break. —Ishmael Johnson, Dallas Morning News, 6 Mar. 2026

Verb

In one video, a mostly unseen man runs up from behind the person filming and lobs a smoking object into a crowd about a block away. —Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 8 Mar. 2026

Upon receiving this year’s Walter Bernstein Award from the Writers Guild of America East, outgoing Late Show host Stephen Colbert took the opportunity with his time onstage to champion his staff and lob one final jab at CBS parent corporation Paramount. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 8 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

probably of Low German origin; akin to Low German lubbe coarse person

Verb

lob a loosely hanging object

Combining form

lobe

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1533, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1599, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1883, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lob

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

Kids Definition

lob

1 of 2 verb

ˈläb 

lobbed; lobbing

: to send (as a ball) in a high arc by hitting or throwing easily

lob

2 of 2 noun

: a lobbed throw or shot (as in tennis)