Meaning & use
gobby
Last updated
UK/ˈɡɒbi/
US/ˈɡɑːbi/
Usage warning: this word is disapproving. It shows a negative opinion, so take care with who and what you use it about.
Meaning
adjectivecomparableBritishinformaldisapproving
Talking too much or too loudly, especially in a rude or cheeky way.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after be: a gobby kid, he is gobby.
Patterns
- be gobby with someone
- a gobby person
Her gobby little brother never stops chatting.
The gobby customer complained loudly to everyone.
Don't get gobby with me, young man.
Word forms
| comparative | gobbier |
|---|---|
| superlative | gobbiest |
Common combinations
- a gobby kid
- He was a gobby kid who answered back to teachers.
- get gobby
- She got gobby when someone criticised her team.
- gobby with someone
- Don't be gobby with the manager.
- a gobby mate
- My gobby mate told everyone the secret.
Synonyms and how they differ
- mouthy
- Mouthy is very close and also describes cheeky talk, though it is more widely used outside Britain.
- cheeky
- Cheeky is lighter and can be affectionate, while gobby is more often annoyed.
- talkative
- Talkative is neutral and polite, whereas gobby is critical and implies rudeness.
- loud-mouthed
- Loud-mouthed stresses noisy boasting or opinions, while gobby stresses cheeky chatter.
Opposites
Word family
- gob noun
- British slang for the mouth
- gobbiness noun
- the quality of being gobby
- gobsmacked adjective
- extremely surprised
- gobshite noun
- a vulgar Irish and British insult for a foolish talker
Commonly confused: gobby or gabby?
gobby vs gabby
Gabby means talkative in a friendly way, and gobby is ruder and more cheeky.
Practice
The teenager was so ___ that the shopkeeper asked him to leave.
Choose one answer.
Gobby means rudely talkative, which would annoy a shopkeeper. Timid, hushed and modest all describe quiet behavior.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “gobby”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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