gobble

1 of 2

verb (1)

gob·​ble ˈgä-bəl 

gobbled; gobbling ˈgä-b(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to swallow or eat greedily

2

: to take eagerly : grab

—usually used with up

3

: to read rapidly or greedily

—usually used with up

gobble

2 of 2

verb (2)

gobbled; gobbling ˈgä-b(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to make the natural guttural noise of a male turkey

2

: to make a sound resembling the gobble of a turkey

gobble noun

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• bolt
• cram
• devour
• glut [archaic]
• gorge
• gormandize
• gulp
• ingurgitate
• inhale
• raven
• scarf
• scoff
• slop
• wolf

Examples of gobble in a Sentence

Verb (1)

gobbled the sandwiches like they hadn't eaten for days

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Experts largely cite the historic inflation spike triggered by the pandemic, particularly the surge in housing costs, which gobble the incomes of many Americans, including those who are wealthier. —Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024

Maricopa County continues to rapidly grow as new housing developments gobble up former farmland, major semiconductor companies move ashore in the desert, and Phoenix fights to cement its newfound status as a city to rival New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. —Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 19 Oct. 2024

The Guide Sport is a 700c adventure bike designed for the serious rider to gobble up mile after mile of gravel road. —Josh Max, Forbes, 5 Oct. 2024

Red-meat purists are unlikely to gobble up the turkey variety. —Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

probably irregular from gob entry 1

Verb (2)

imitative

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1680, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

gobble

1 of 2 verb

gob·​ble ˈgäb-əl 

gobbled; gobbling -(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to swallow or eat greedily

2

: to take eagerly : grab

the small country was gobbled up by its neighbor

gobble

2 of 2 verb

: to make the sound of a male turkey

gobble noun