Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

bob up

Idioms  
  1. Appear suddenly or unexpectedly. For example, I didn't know anyone in the group until Harry bobbed up. This term uses the verb bob in the sense of “to bounce,” a usage dating from Chaucer's day. [Late 1800s]


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

“That’s the reason why we’ve seen prices basically bob up and down.”

From The Wall Street Journal Feb. 27, 2026

Their heads and necks will bob up and down, more closely resembling lances drawn and thrust in a medieval battle than silly birds comically bumbling around.

From Salon Nov. 25, 2022

Songs organically bob up from the instrumental score, which grooves along with repetitive patterns, broken waltzes and echoes of the song melodies.

From Los Angeles Times Dec. 1, 2021

Make the green banana puree: In a medium pot, cover the bananas with water to submerge them; the bananas will bob up and down.

From Washington Post Sep. 3, 2021

If something whipped back and forth, it also needed to spin on an axis, bob up and down, and hurl through a jet spray of filthy water.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training