lob

1 of 4

noun (1)

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Hayes immediately benefitted from playing alongside Doncic, one of the league’s best at setting up big men who are lob threats. Khobi Price, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2025 The former Spice Girl’s signature brown lob looked recently transformed into a dramatic ombré lob, with her dark roots fading into platinum blonde ends. Robyn Merrett, StyleCaster, 2 Apr. 2025
Verb
The classic Super Shotgun feels incredible to use in tandem with the shield, blasting your way through droves of lesser demons before lobbing the shield to make the hoards explode in bursts of blood. Kazuma Hashimoto, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2025 For whatever else anyone could lob at this show, the piece has The Kinks’ signature sound down cold, running hot and loud. Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lob

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)

1508, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1599, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1851, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lob was in 1508

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lob.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lob. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

lob

1 of 2 verb
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)

More from Merriam-Webster on lob

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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