variants
or boffo
1
as in chuckle
an explosive sound that is a sign of amusement
an old joke dating from the days of vaudeville that's still good for a boff
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in laugh
something said or done to cause laughter
the emcee told some good boffs that kept the ceremony from becoming too serious
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of boff
The show returned for the second half of its 12th season in January to boffo numbers, a rare growth story in the land of basic cable.
—
Michael Schneider, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
Wall Street predicts boffo box office.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
His conviction that birdwatching would be boffo box office in 2011 dud The Big Year also is chronicled, with amusing references to Tom Rothman, then running Fox and now heading Sony, and his unwavering antipathy toward the project.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2026
But those boffo receipts came alongside mixed reviews, which all but kills For Good’s already-slim chances of pulling a Return of the King–style win for the series as a whole.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 28 Nov. 2025
Swift has also been selling CDs and vinyl LPs in advance through her website, in various design variants and bundled with merchandise — like an orange cardigan paired with a CD in a sparkly box for $70 — all but guaranteeing boffo opening-week sales numbers.
—New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Serena and Nate boff at a wedding reception on Gossip Girl
Two high-school students bump uglies on the bar of Michael Jordan's Steakhouse with a reception happening about two feet away.
—Laura Beck, Cosmopolitan, 25 July 2017
Michael Schneider, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
Wall Street predicts boffo box office.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
His conviction that birdwatching would be boffo box office in 2011 dud The Big Year also is chronicled, with amusing references to Tom Rothman, then running Fox and now heading Sony, and his unwavering antipathy toward the project.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2026
But those boffo receipts came alongside mixed reviews, which all but kills For Good’s already-slim chances of pulling a Return of the King–style win for the series as a whole.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 28 Nov. 2025
Swift has also been selling CDs and vinyl LPs in advance through her website, in various design variants and bundled with merchandise — like an orange cardigan paired with a CD in a sparkly box for $70 — all but guaranteeing boffo opening-week sales numbers.
—New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Serena and Nate boff at a wedding reception on Gossip Girl
Two high-school students bump uglies on the bar of Michael Jordan's Steakhouse with a reception happening about two feet away.
—Laura Beck, Cosmopolitan, 25 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boff
Noun
-
Conrad is full of wordy comic dialogue that often sings in its idiosyncrasy but also elicits little more than a chuckle.—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Contreras said on Friday with a chuckle.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Scott used comedy to grease the narrative wheels; here, the laughs tend to gum up the works.—
Hannah Jocelyn,
New Yorker,
19 Mar. 2026
-
The quick and confident response sparked a handful of laughs from those who have covered Lagrange’s emergence this spring.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The joke took a beat to land, then drew laughter from the crowd.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Still, the rich history behind the day of laughter and libations remains behind the surge of shamrocks and drunken shanties.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Later, O’Brien touted a fake company tasked with reformatting movies for smaller and smaller handheld devices, but the joke missed the mark.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
-
What the joke is, though, is harder to pin down.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
My daughters just flew their kites from last year around our yard yesterday on a blustery March day, and the giggles were a sound and sight to treasure.—
Chaunie Brusie,
Parents,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Arnold dissolved into giggles while Strong dramatically wiped at her eyes.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
There was none of the usual laughing and joking.—
Mario Cortegana,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Lindsay says that Jesse was serious about asking, but that the make-out would be a joking make-out.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The dialogue is overladen with snicker-worthy cliches, a swelling, melodramatic soundtrack that doesn’t match the mood, dubious cameos and plastic, perfunctory life-affirming quotes.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The event also had free opportunities to take photos, get ice cream snickers and have earned a Super Bowl post card.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
Updated February 5,
Sacbee.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Uber initiative is the latest sally in a long war pitting plaintiffs and their lawyers against businesses, with legal fees as the battleground.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Prices of stocks and bonds, along with long-term interest rates, have oscillated up and down in response to the daily verbal sallies from the White House.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
27 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Boff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boff. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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