tubby

adjective

tub·​by ˈtə-bē How to pronounce tubby (audio)
tubbier; tubbiest
Synonyms of tubbynext
1
: pudgy, fat
2
: sounding dull and without proper resonance or freedom of sound
a tubby violin

Synonyms of tubby

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Examples of tubby in a Sentence

in America, Santa Claus is portrayed as a jolly but tubby older gentleman
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Heavy, ample, plump, tubby—these might as well be curse words. — TIME, 2 Feb. 2024 It is sold in a curious short and tubby bottle with an original label with an old man with wispy hair and a long beard. — Forbes.com, 15 May 2025 After a long day of tail wagging, tubby rubbing, and shoe chewing, your dog deserves a comfortable place to rest. — Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 13 Apr. 2023 This gives it the slight grace of a drawer without sacrificing the functionality of a big tubby bin. — Kevin Cortez, Popular Mechanics, 17 Aug. 2023 That Pete Hegseth is at the Pentagon instead of tubby Lloyd Austin. — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 26 Nov. 2025 Disney will be marking the tubby little cubby’s 100th birthday this year with a variety of events, licensing collaboration, publishing releases and merchandise throughout the world. — K.j. Yossman, Variety, 10 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1807, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of tubby was circa 1807

Rhymes for tubby

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Browse Nearby Words

tubbish
tubby
tub-cart
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Cite this Entry

“Tubby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tubby. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tubby

adjective
tub·​by ˈtəb-ē How to pronounce tubby (audio)
tubbier; tubbiest
: plump entry 5, fleshy

More from Merriam-Webster on tubby

Nglish: Translation of tubby for Spanish Speakers

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