hobnob

American  

[hob-nob] / ˈhɒbˌnɒb /

verb (used without object)

• hobnobs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• hobnobbed,
  past participle,  past
• hobnobbing
  present participle

1. to associate on very friendly terms (usually followed bywith ).

   She often hobnobs with royalty.

2. Archaic. to drink together.

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noun

1. a friendly, informal chat.

hobnob British  

/ ˈhɒbˌnɒb /

verb

1. to socialize or talk informally

2. obsolete to drink (with)

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

• hobnobbing
  present
• hobnobbed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• hobnob
  simple
• hobnobs
  simple
• have hobnobbed
  perfect
• has hobnobbed
  perfect
• am hobnobbing
  progressive
• are hobnobbing
  progressive
• is hobnobbing
  progressive
• have been hobnobbing
  perfect progressive
• has been hobnobbing
  perfect progressive

Past

• hobnobbed
  simple
• had hobnobbed
  perfect
• was hobnobbing
  progressive
• were hobnobbing
  progressive
• had been hobnobbing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will hobnob
  simple
• will have hobnobbed
  perfect
• will be hobnobbing
  progressive
• will have been hobnobbing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of hobnob

First recorded in 1825–30 in the sense “hit or miss; at random”; from the phrase hab or nab literally, “have or have not,” from Middle English habbe or nabbe, Old English habban “to have” + nabbn “not to have” (from ne “not” + habban “to have”)

Explanation

To hobnob is to spend time or hang out with someone, especially at a social event. When you're invited to a fancy benefit party at a museum, you might get to hobnob with socialites and minor celebrities. When you hobnob, you mingle or pal around with fancy folks. People who work in book publishing occasionally get to hobnob with writers, and if you get a job on a movie set, you may have a chance to hobnob with movie stars. Hobnob first meant "to drink to one another," or "to toast each other." In Britain, a HobNob is also a popular cookie or biscuit brand.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hobnob hobnobs hobnobbed hobnobbing

Western investors keen to make a buck in Russia's chaotic and fast-growing economy would gather to strike deals and hobnob with the Russian elite in the early years of Putin's rule.

From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026

So they have jumped at the chance to glad-hand voters, kiss babies, and hobnob with activists at backyard barbecues and meetups at the chain of Pizza Ranch restaurants that have become an Iowa campaign staple.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 10, 2023

They had already been working with lawmakers in numerous states who were eager to hobnob with current and former sports officials who had been star players.

From New York Times ● Nov. 20, 2022

“It becomes very troubling when you have a town of celebrities that have access to the police — when they have a dual role where they provide security and they hobnob with one another.”

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 4, 2022

At first I had thought it would be awful having Buddy come and visit me at the asylum—he would probably only come to gloat and hobnob with the other doctors.

From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath

At the Katseye concert, Janick hobnobs with folks from Netflix and from Margot Robbie’s production company, LuckyChap — the flywheel in action for a group that has yet to drop a debut LP.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2026

Like his father, he hobnobs with prime ministers and fellow titans of industry, but doesn’t love the limelight.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 16, 2022

But Paros himself is an unusual mix: an entrepreneur-turned-amateur-scientist, who now hobnobs with many of the region's leading geophysicists.

From Nature ● Jun. 20, 2017

He hobnobs with Bill Gates, power-struts at Davos, and is a case study for Harvard Business School students.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 9, 2017

Also, he hobnobs continually with a sprawling, brawling, bad-breathed smelter, as no respectable Titan should do.

From The River and I by John G. Neihardt

Brackpool hobnobbed with former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who received campaign contributions from him and Cadiz.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

Pulte had a significant personal relationship with Coe, who hobnobbed with presidents of both parties and leaders of nations around the world.

From Salon ● Jun. 9, 2026

He hobnobbed in New York City with Eric Trump and Mehta and snapped a photograph at a conference on U.S.-India relations in Washington with the second lady, Usha Vance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2025

This is where India's rich and powerful have hobnobbed for years, building social capital over cigars or squash and brokering business deals during golf sessions.

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2025

We hobnobbed backstage with Lena Horne and Ricardo Montalban at their Broadway play, Jamaica.

From "Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High" by Melba Pattillo Beals

He wound up mostly taking pictures of generals hobnobbing in Germany.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

Bankman-Fried was there too, hobnobbing with world leaders and living in the Bahamas.

From Salon ● Jan. 28, 2025

Mr Bankman-Fried became a kind of crypto spokesman in Washington DC, known for his curly mop, sports sponsorships and for hobnobbing with celebrities.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2023

If Peltola has a liability, Lottsfeldt said, it’s that she may be less eager to embrace the marathon schedule and donor hobnobbing that may be needed to survive long-term in Washington, D.C.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 11, 2023

Spend the whole day there hobnobbing with the legislators.

From "Missing May" by Cynthia Rylant