wobble

1 of 2

verb

wob·​ble ˈwä-bəl How to pronounce wobble (audio)
variants or less commonly wabble
wobbled also wabbled; wobbling also wabbling ˈwä-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce wobble (audio)

intransitive verb

1
a
: to move or proceed with an irregular rocking or staggering motion or unsteadily and clumsily from side to side
2

transitive verb

: to cause to wobble
wobbler noun
or less commonly wabbler
wobbliness noun
or less commonly wabbliness
wobbly adjective
or less commonly wabbly

wobble

2 of 2

noun

variants or less commonly wabble
1
a
: a hobbling or rocking unequal motion (as of a wheel unevenly mounted)
b
: an uncertainly directed movement
2
: an intermittent variation (as in volume of sound)

Examples of wobble in a Sentence

Verb The vase wobbled but didn't fall over. The boy was wobbling along on his bicycle. The table wobbles a little. They have been wobbling in their support of the president's policies.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Verb
Toddlers wobble about the play area with their moms (or nannies). Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2024 There also was Milton’s uncertain track, with forecasters warning the major hurricane could wobble seemingly without warning, shifting its landfall target and thus its path across the Peninsula. Paul P. Murphy and Michelle Krupa, CNN, 9 Oct. 2024
Noun
Between the lines: While NHC gets credit for an accurate track forecast overall, a wobble of the eye of just a few miles made the difference between a Tampa Bay storm surge disaster and a storm characterized by flooding rains and high winds. Andrew Freedman, Axios, 11 Oct. 2024 Slight wobbles and shifts are likely, but a Tampa Bay area landfall appears locked and loaded. Marshall Shepherd, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for wobble 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

probably from Low German wabbeln; akin to Old English wǣfre restless — more at waver

First Known Use

Verb

1657, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1699, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of wobble was in 1657

Dictionary Entries Near wobble

Cite this Entry

“Wobble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wobble. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

wobble

1 of 2 verb
wob·​ble ˈwäb-əl How to pronounce wobble (audio)
wobbled; wobbling -(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce wobble (audio)
1
a
: to move or cause to move with a jerky rocking or side-to-side motion
the baby's head wobbled from side to side
b
: tremble entry 1 sense 1
a voice that wobbles
2
: waver sense 1
his opinion wobbled
wobbler noun
wobbly adjective

wobble

2 of 2 noun
: a wobbling action or movement
the wheel had a bad wobble

More from Merriam-Webster on wobble

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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