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

When Doncic played for the Dallas Mavericks and led them to the 2024 NBA Finals, his two centers — Derek Lively and Daniel Gafford — were exceptional in their roles as lob threats, blocking shots and rolling to the rim. — Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

Some contend that Dončić shares with his teammates just fine as shown with his strong connection with Reaves, his lobs to various teammates and his looks for James. — Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Verb

The past few decades saw similar degrees of vitriol lobbed against the likes of Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. — Chelsey Sanchez, CNN Money, 25 June 2026

The president lobbed a bomb at lawmakers over his pick to lead national intelligence after bipartisan backlash. — Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 18 June 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)