Synonyms of bobbing

bobbing 1 of 2

verb (1)

present participle of bob

as in shaving

to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument

bobbed her waist-length hair herself on her 18th birthday

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shaving
• cutting
• trimming
• clipping
• mowing
• snipping
• shearing
• nipping
• cropping
• paring
• docking
• pruning
• polling
• cutting back
• whittling
• lopping (off)
• pinching
• shortening
• manicuring
• curtailing
• stumping
• skiving

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• extending
• lengthening
• elongating

bobbing

2 of 2

verb (2)

present participle of bob

1

as in pumping

to make short up-and-down movements

a family of ducks bobbing on the water

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pumping
• shaking
• swaying
• jerking
• nodding
• wagging
• jogging
• ducking
• bobbling
• jouncing
• rocking
• seesawing
• wiggling
• swinging
• jiggling
• wobbling
• oscillating
• undulating
• dropping

2

as in slapping

to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner

he playfully bobbed his brother on the nose to get his attention

Synonyms & Similar Words

• slapping
• smacking
• hitting
• banging
• knocking
• slamming
• punching
• clapping
• pounding
• whacking
• striking
• clipping
• swiping
• cracking
• batting
• kicking
• bopping
• thumping
• tapping
• poking
• nailing
• swatting
• flicking
• bashing
• hammering
• jabbing
• pushing
• shoving
• licking
• boxing
• thwacking
• slugging
• chopping
• rapping
• clocking
• stroking
• bumping
• zapping
• belting
• clobbering
• socking
• tagging
• bonking
• smiting
• clouting
• stabbing
• slogging
• pasting
• bludgeoning
• busting
• walloping
• whaling
• biffing
• battering
• beating
• pummeling
• peppering
• pelting
• buffeting
• hanging one on
• mangling
• jostling
• lashing
• cuffing
• mauling
• slashing
• butting
• stamping
• whipping
• dumping
• scuffing
• prodding
• spearing
• flailing
• roughing
• lambasting
• lacing
• bunging
• bunting
• kneeing
• drubbing
• pommeling
• creaming
• switching
• decking
• thrashing
• cudgeling
• bowling (down or over)
• sapping
• braining
• flogging
• felling
• knocking down
• clubbing
• caning
• skulling
• conking
• flooring
• sledging
• leveling
• sledgehammering
• sucker punching
• rabbit-punching
• beaning

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of bobbing

Verb

Despite Sarah’s flapping her cardigan in the air like a hungover color-guard girl at a homecoming parade, the hapless Irish naval men sent to save her remained beyond the bobbing waves. — Claire Carusillo, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026

Rapp and his crewmate, Suzanne Driscoll, hoisted a lobster trap marked by a bobbing buoy from the Casco Bay. — Natalie B. Compton The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 2 Aug. 2026

And that kind of thing didn’t happen in Mystic, a touristy escape from New York City complete with bobbing boats and sea lions doing tricks at the aquarium. — Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026

Emirates is rolling out a new type of headrest that will keep passengers from bobbing side to side in Economy Class seats. — Eve Chen, USA Today, 24 July 2026

Guidry, at the prow, raised the lantern, revealed in the circle oflight a bobbing tangle of sargassum weed, a swimming snake, a child’s cloth doll. — Literary Hub, 16 July 2026

Their long, droopy tails would likely pull them downward and send their snouts bobbing up. — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 15 July 2026

While the lights themselves aren’t drawing in spiders, the moths, gnats, mosquitoes, and mayflies bobbing around the lights do. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 July 2026

Fascinators — those bobbing bundles often of feathers, flowers and netting perched off-center of the wearer’s head — are banned here. — Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 19 June 2026