What does hobnobbed mean?
Hobnobbed is the past tense of hobnob, a verb meaning to associate or socialize informally. It suggests spending time with other people in a relaxed, friendly way, often within a shared social circle or at a social occasion. The word carries a convivial connotation: hobnobbing is usually pleasant, informal interaction rather than a formal meeting, serious negotiation, or solitary activity. It is often followed by “with,” as in “hobnob with colleagues,” and can describe people who share an interest or occupy a similar social position. Although the expression sounds traditional and has a particularly British flavour, it is widely used in contemporary English. The form “hobnobbed” appears in past-tense sentences, while “hobnobbing” is its present participle.
verbTo socialize or associate informally with someone, especially people of a similar social status or shared interests. The past tense form also conveys that such social interaction has taken place.
- To associate informally and socially with other people.
"After the lecture, the guests hobnobbed over coffee and discussed the speaker's work."
"The authors hobnobbed with fellow writers at the literary festival."
"Neighbours often hobnob on the doorstep, swapping news and recommendations."
Hobnobbing is a distinctly social word: it imagines people meeting, mixing, and talking as though they belong to the same circle.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hobnobbed come from?
The word comes from the nineteenth-century British verb “hobnob,” whose history is associated with the older words “hob” and “nob,” both of which could refer to a person of a particular social kind. Its early sense concerned familiar or informal social contact and conversation. The modern form developed into a verb for socializing and associating in a friendly, informal manner, while retaining the sense of moving comfortably within a social group.
Related word forms
How hobnobbed is actually used
The word is informal and usually implies friendly, relaxed social interaction. It is more commonly used with “with” and is somewhat more traditional or British in flavour, though it is understood throughout the English-speaking world.