What is a Webby? A Webby is an award presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences for excellence in a variety of forms of digital media. The award is formally called a Webby Award, and the award ceremony is called the Webby Awards or the Webbys for short. Webbys are awarded in many different categories, including those involving websites, apps, podcasts, videos, and newsletters. The Webby Awards ceremony is perhaps best known for having winners deliver acceptance speeches consisting of only five words. The physical Webby Award is in the form of a silver spiral.
First recorded in 1655–65; web + -y 1
First recorded in 1995–2000; (World Wide) Web ( def. ) + -y 2 ( def. )
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If the silk hardens too soon, it could clog the spider’s glands with a nightmarishly webby form of constipation.
From New York Times ● Nov. 4, 2020
Argos is also one of the UK's most webby retailers, getting 42% of sales online.
From The Guardian ● Dec. 31, 2012
Actually, Obama's campaign was never really so webby to begin with.
From Slate ● Jan. 21, 2010
Another thing he likes is playing with webby threads of paint as a pastry cook plays with icing, to catch the light and give his canvases lustre.
From Time Magazine Archive
But here she was, under her webby old black umbrella to shade her from the sun.
From "A Long Way from Chicago" by Richard Peck
He was a finalist for an Online Journalism Award for his coverage of Simone Biles, and his co-produced series on topical political issues was a Webby Award honoree.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026
Anna won a Gracie for best podcast host in 2016 and the show won the 2018 Webby and 2021 Ambie for best interview show.
From Slate ● Oct. 30, 2025
Webby, the St. Jude researcher, said the work supports other research that has looked at the potential protectiveness of prior exposure to flu viruses.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 19, 2025
“Maybe what we see isn’t exactly the tip of the iceberg, but it’s certainly not the whole story,” Webby said.
From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2024
Not even his mother was allowed inside the scratch by the important and faithful Webby.
From Battling the Clouds or, For a Comrade's Honor by Cobb, Frank
Early on there were Koufaxes, later Webbies, and all sorts of other blogging awards.
From Scientific American ● Jul. 10, 2012
In both these cases, unlike in the tax issue, the Webbies are basically in the right.
From Time Magazine Archive
The Webbys even named her their artist of the year.
From Salon ● Dec. 29, 2023
The Webbys also honored emoji creator Shigetaka Kurita with a lifetime achievement award, AI writing tool ChatGPT with the breakout of the year award and SZA for artist of the year.
From Reuters ● Apr. 25, 2023
Grammy-winner Ocean won Person of the Year for using the "power of the Web as a medium for cultural change," the Webbys said.
From Reuters ● Apr. 30, 2013
The Australian rail safety public service campaign Dumb Ways to Die, which went viral, is an unlikely awards leader with seven Webbys.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 30, 2013
The 14th annual Webbys, which celebrate Internet achievement, were announced Tuesday by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a 550-member group of Web experts.
From Washington Post ● May 4, 2010
But for very basic banking, smaller, webbier, and more local alternatives tend to be better.
From Slate ● Oct. 10, 2011
Our current home page design, unveiled in September 2013, is our webbiest yet.
From Slate ● Sep. 23, 2016
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.
