Meaning & use
nubbly
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Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Having a surface covered with small lumps or knots, so that it feels uneven to the touch.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after a verb: a nubbly sweater, the cloth feels nubbly.
Patterns
- a nubbly texture
- feel nubbly
She wore a nubbly wool cardigan that kept her warm all winter.
The sofa was covered in a nubbly fabric that felt pleasantly rough.
The bread had a nubbly crust with little lumps of seeds.
Word forms
| comparative | nubblier |
|---|---|
| superlative | nubbliest |
Common combinations
- nubbly texture
- The rug has a nubbly texture.
- nubbly wool
- He wore a coat of nubbly wool.
- nubbly fabric
- The cushion was made of nubbly fabric.
- nubbly surface
- The wall had a nubbly surface.
Synonyms and how they differ
- lumpy
- Lumpy suggests larger, less pleasant bumps, while nubbly describes small, even knots that are often attractive.
- knobbly
- Knobbly is usually used for larger, rounder bumps such as knees or branches.
- bumpy
- Bumpy describes any uneven surface, including roads, and sounds less like a texture.
- textured
- Textured is a general word for any non-smooth surface and is less specific than nubbly.
Opposites
Word family
- nub noun
- a small lump or knot
- nubbliness noun
- the quality of being nubbly
- nubby adjective
- an American variant with the same meaning
Commonly confused: nubbly or knobbly?
nubbly vs knobbly
Knobbly means covered with larger rounded lumps, such as old tree branches, while nubbly refers to small knots, especially in cloth.
Practice
Which word best describes a rough wool sweater covered in tiny knots?
Choose one answer.
Nubbly describes small, rough knots in a surface. Silky, glossy and slippery all describe smooth surfaces.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “nubbly”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.