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
Nothing else could explain the boffo box office for The Devil Wears Prada 2, right?
—
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 3 May 2026
Other spring arrivals Giant ($1,215,687) and Every Brilliant Thing ($1,566,354) continued strong showings, and Ragtime was boffo as always at $1,152,711.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2026
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
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
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 3 May 2026
Other spring arrivals Giant ($1,215,687) and Every Brilliant Thing ($1,566,354) continued strong showings, and Ragtime was boffo as always at $1,152,711.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2026
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
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
-
In a video from Reuters, Charles appeared to laugh off Stewart's comment and said something unintelligible before turning to shake hands with Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, who also got a chuckle out of the exchange.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
-
The two admit now – Adrianne with a chuckle and DeVaux through tears – that their sisterly relationship suffered for a while, as DeVaux tried to square peg her sister.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
But when the Phillies remember the good times — the champagne toasts, the boisterous October clubhouses, the laughs shared on the field in the clubhouse — Suarez will always be there.—
Charlotte Varnes,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
Hammond spent a year at the Comedy Cellar trying to crack Al Gore and never got a laugh.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The laughter continued through many of the movie’s insanely over-the-top slasher sequences that leave the majority of actors drenched in blood.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
13 May 2026
-
Friends of friends will almost inevitably get along, new faces lead to new conversations, and old friends lead to a lot of laughter.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Just ask Harris, whose handling of the border under Biden became a running joke in politics.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
14 May 2026
-
Now, if there’s some people telling these jokes at a church service, that would be one thing.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
14 May 2026
Noun
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The first tinkling notes mimicked the pre‑concert bell that ushered the audience to their seats—an unusual start that elicited a giggle from the crowd.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 May 2026
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Their antics made Huntington Beach a national laughingstock — but Gates and his pals so far have had the last giggle.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The president has long bristled at the otherwise customary joking at his expense by celebrity comedians.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Here opposites — classy and brassy — are distractions, with odd-couple joking substituting for something more substantial.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Early never makes fun of Maddie, never lets the audience snicker at the screen.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
6 May 2026
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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
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
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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 18 May. 2026.
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