- a variation of gibe.
jibe
1 Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with or without object)
verb (used without object)
-
to shift from one side to the other when running before the wind, as a fore-and-aft sail or its boom.
-
to alter course so that a fore-and-aft sail shifts in this manner.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
jibes
plural
verb
verb
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of jibe1
An Americanism dating back to 1805–15; origin uncertain
Origin of jibe3
First recorded in 1685–95; variant of gybe, from Dutch gijben, more commonly gijpen
Explanation
To jibe with someone is to agree with them. Jibe can also mean “be compatible with or similar to.” If two people jibe, they get along quite well. A jibe can also be an insulting remark as another way to spell gibe. If someone directs that kind of jibe at you, the best response is a really good comeback. And in nautical terminology, jibe refers to a particular manner of changing the course of a ship. How did this word come to have such different meanings? Your guess is as good as ours. Just try to remember that if you want to jibe with others, don’t insult them.
Vocabulary lists containing jibe
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "J," "K," and "L"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Color of Water
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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 jibe was aimed at John Donahoe, the former eBay boss behind Nike's online direct-to-consumer sales pivot, before he made way for Hill.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
It also wouldn’t jibe with my understanding, at least, of a democratic replacement process.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
There he meets with his chosen mark: Perla Hildegarda Inclán Arnao, a middle-aged spinster from a fallen family of coffee barons whose reserved nature doesn’t jibe with her passionate letters.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026
This week, their relationship took a nosedive as tensions flared over the war and a personal jibe directed at Macron.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026
Ron ignored this jibe, sipping his drink in what he evidently considered to be a dignified silence.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
This jibes with the challenge hypothesis, which says, in multiple species, testosterone levels rise when males battle for attention from potential mates and go down when it’s time to take care of the young.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
The report questioned how that jibes with the reasons offered by Dozler and his agency: “a work-related phone call, email, or license check by the Department.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 27, 2026
Djokovic is not afraid to go toe to toe with hostile fans, using their jibes to fuel his relentless quest for glory and showing the depth of his competitiveness.
From Barron's ● Jan. 31, 2026
At best, participants in these spectacles fielded snarky jibes about outdated fashion and unsightly grooming; at worst, they were vulnerable to manipulation and torment from the experts tasked with overseeing their transformations.
From Salon ● Jan. 17, 2026
These lads called him over to share food and drink with them, and were friendly though rough and full of jokes and jibes.
From "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Reynolds's involvement with Wrexham AFC, the second tier Welsh soccer side he co-owns with Rob McElhenney, jibed well with Branagh's avid interest in his preferred English Premier League side, said Goldstein.
From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026
We really jibed, me and Kacie, and me and Anna.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2025
Popov also jibed that Carlson had managed to experience Moscow's modern public transport system during his visit.
From BBC ● Feb. 6, 2024
Everything he observed jibed with what he knew of Bruegel the Younger, who had painted several works depicting the same scene of a Spanish official collecting taxes from Flemish peasants.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 4, 2023
Then with a thundercrack the boom came swinging round and she jibed and jumped northward like a scared cat.
From "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin
The whole thing kind of feels like a rehearsal process, you’re in the studio and you’re just trying things and experimenting and just jibing with the creative team.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2022
It came too close to the top mark after the first leg and at the bottom mark, the New Zealand boat Te Rehutai reared up on its foils, then crashed back after a jibing error.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 18, 2020
It was a very strange and uncomfortable case of what was actually on screen not jibing with what we were “supposed” to see.
From Slate ● Dec. 23, 2014
After two days of workshops I was gorged on information, and there was an overall group sense of communion I wasn’t jibing with.
From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2012
Clouds and rain came up on the wind, which veered and gusted so wildly that there was considerable danger of the ship jibing.
From "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
