Quick answer
Hobnob means to mingle socially, especially with important or fashionable people. It is usually pronounced HOB-nob, and today it is still readable to modern audiences, even if it sounds more deliberate than everyday speech.
Word page
Hobnob
To hobnob means to mingle socially, especially with important or fashionable people. It belongs to compound oddballs and repetitive words and works best in comic lists, children’s language, and places where sound matters as much as meaning. It still feels usable today, especially when you want a word with more character than the plainest alternative.
At a glance
compound-wordreduplicativeplayful
How to say it
Meaning in plain English
If you hobnob, you to mingle socially, especially with important or fashionable people. The verb usually suggests something more expressive, comic, or textured than a plain everyday substitute.
Why this word feels absurd
Hobnob feels absurd because its repeated sounds give it a bounce or wobble that makes the word feel half descriptive and half sound effect.
Origin and history
The origin note most often attached to hobnob is: probably from older conversational formulas that evolved into a verb of mingling. Where the history is not fully settled, the safest thing to say is that the word’s sound and tone have helped keep it memorable.
Is this word still used today?
Hobnob is still usable today, especially when you want language that feels more distinctive than the plainest modern alternative.
Example sentences
- The interns began to hobnob at once when the projector failed again.
- He hobnobed through the explanation so fast that nobody trusted the final answer.
- In the play, nervous witnesses hobnob whenever the magistrate clears his throat.
- She refused to hobnob about the crisis and gave the room a usable plan instead.
- The children hobnobed excitedly after finding the attic full of costumes.
When should you use this word?
Use hobnob when a plain action verb feels too flat and you want the sentence to carry more motion, tone, or comic texture. It works especially well in comic lists, children’s language, and places where sound matters as much as meaning.
Similar words
Argle-Bargle, Bibble-Babble, Haggis, Halfwit, Hamadryad
Opposite or contrasting words
plain speech, technical precision, literal wording
Common questions
- What does hobnob mean? To mingle socially, especially with important or fashionable people.
- How do you pronounce hobnob? It is commonly pronounced HOB-nob.
- Is hobnob still used today? Hobnob is still usable today, especially when you want language that feels more distinctive than the plainest modern alternative.
- When should you use hobnob? Use hobnob when a plain action verb feels too flat and you want the sentence to carry more motion, tone, or comic texture. It works especially well in comic lists, children’s language, and places where sound matters as much as meaning.
- What words are similar to hobnob? Similar words include Argle-Bargle, Bibble-Babble, Haggis, and Halfwit.
Editorial note
Edited by Absurd Words. Last updated: May 9, 2026. See the editorial policy for how definitions, examples, labels, and update checks are handled on the site.