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
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The Color of Water
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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:
At the time of publication anti-Scottish sentiment was also high in England, while the name Sawney was considered a jibe at Scottish people, in the way "jock" would later become.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 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
Yet Edward’s recollection is vague and doesn’t jibe with the observations of his doctor and the local constable.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 19, 2025
All that jive doesn’t jibe with Senator Paine’s record.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
"But the strategy makes sense and it jibes with the continual consolidation that's occurring in streaming."
From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026
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
This time, his eventful stay included being on the receiving end of jibes from Haye, who later called him "weak" and "brittle-spirited".
From BBC ● Apr. 24, 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
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
“Ask her where it came from,” jibed Goodwife Cruff, unable to keep silent.
From "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" by Elizabeth George Speare
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
In midsummer, it is so packed with sailboats that were it an aquatic parking lot for a big box store, you’d be tacking and jibing forever before you found a space.
From New York Times ● Aug. 13, 2014
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
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
