Meaning & use
earbuds
Last updated
Meanings
nounplural
Small devices that you put in your ears to listen to music or sound from a phone or player.
Grammar: Always plural; one of them is an earbud, but people usually say 'a pair of earbuds'.
Patterns
- a pair of earbuds
- wear earbuds
- put in your earbuds
She took her earbuds out of her bag and started listening to a podcast.
These earbuds are so small that they almost disappear in your ears.
He wears earbuds on the train every morning.
nouncountabletechnical
A soft piece of plastic or foam that fits over the end of a headphone and goes into the ear.
Grammar: Countable: one earbud, two earbuds; often used for the replaceable tips.
Patterns
- replace the earbuds
- a new earbud
The earbuds on my old headphones fell off and got lost.
You can buy replacement earbuds in different sizes.
Word forms
| singular | earbud |
|---|
Common combinations
- wireless earbuds
- Wireless earbuds are popular because there is no cable.
- a pair of earbuds
- I bought a pair of earbuds for the flight.
- put in your earbuds
- She put in her earbuds and ignored the noise.
- take out your earbuds
- Take out your earbuds when someone speaks to you.
- noise-cancelling earbuds
- Noise-cancelling earbuds help on a busy plane.
Synonyms and how they differ
- earphones
- A more general word for small speakers worn on or in the ears, often with a band or cable.
- headphones
- Usually bigger and worn over the head, covering both ears, rather than fitting inside them.
- in-ear headphones
- A longer, more formal way to say earbuds, common in shops and product descriptions.
Word family
- earbud noun
- One single device that fits in one ear.
Commonly confused: earbuds or earplugs? earbuds or headphones?
earbuds vs earplugs
Earplugs block sound out to protect your ears; earbuds play sound into your ears.
earbuds vs headphones
Headphones rest on or over your ears and are usually larger; earbuds sit inside the ear.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'earbuds' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Earbuds' is plural and takes a plural verb ('are'), as in 'He is wearing earbuds'. 'An earbuds' and 'a new earbuds' are wrong because 'earbuds' is plural; 'These earbud' is wrong because the plural noun needs -s.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “earbuds”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.