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noob

American  
[noob] / nub /
Or n00b

noun

Slang: Usually Disparaging.
noobs plural
  1. a newbie, especially a person who is new to an online community and whose online participation and interactions display a lack of skill or knowledge.

    Some games and gaming forums are crawling with annoying noobs.


noob British  
/ nuːb /

noun

  1. Also written: n00bslang another word for newbie

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does noob mean? In internet slang, noobs are hapless, unskilled beginners who don't know what they are doing. As far as gamers are concerned, a noob is a nothing more than an easy kill—or a real nuisance as a teammate.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of noob

Shortening and alteration of newbie

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:

A noob taking any more than that is set to take a trip to the moon.

From Salon May 15, 2025

“It’s intimidating being a total noob and not knowing anything about gearing or different-sized tires. I’m grateful for the group I got into here in Kitsap County.”

From Seattle Times Sep. 17, 2021

It was at Plum Street, as a kid who arrived in town at the age of 10, that I learned that strawberry and grape were noob moves.

From New York Times May 28, 2021

But the occasional dead giveaway revealed some first-timers: Only a Bigg Chill noob, for example, would exclaim, “Oh no, it’s cash only!” upon reaching the front of the line.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 23, 2021

Even though I’d been a gunter since day one, everyone still considered me a noob.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

"We talk about Christmas noobs, people who get the game for the first time over the holidays," says James.

From BBC Dec. 29, 2025

The argument is not that you’re being disrespected by noobs invading your turf; it’s that you want to make sure you’re delivering what the client wants as efficiently as possible.

From Washington Post Feb. 23, 2023

Robinhood has introduced a new experience geared towards trading noobs, and the company says its personalized stock recommendations could help beginners get a sense of the technical side of trading.

From The Verge Jan. 4, 2022

The optimists talk about Dogecoin as a sort of starter crypto that the noobs will buy before getting into the real stuff.

From Slate May 5, 2021

We reach the top of the open space, the sun and lake and rest of the park hanging out behind the crowd of Yale’s noobs.

From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

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