What does webby mean?
Webby is an informal adjective with two related uses. It can mean resembling a web, especially a delicate, netlike pattern, as in a webby arrangement of branches or threads. In discussion of websites and online material, it can characterize something that feels crowded with links, pages, or distinctly internet-based features. The second use is often mildly critical: a “webby” article or site may seem overloaded with navigation, promotional links, or digital ornament rather than focused on a single subject. The word is not usually used in formal criticism, and its evaluations depend on context. A page that is richly cross-linked and designed for browsing may be intentionally webby, while one burdened by unnecessary links may be disparaged in the same way. Its usefulness lies in this flexibility: webby can evoke both the physical structure of a web and the tangled, interconnected character of the web. It should not be confused with webbed, which most often describes feet or other animal anatomy adapted for swimming.
adjectiveResembling a web; netlike or finely interlaced. In digital contexts, it means characterized by abundant web content, links, or internet-oriented features.
- Resembling a web, especially a delicate, netlike, or interlaced structure.
- Characterized by abundant links, online content, or distinctly internet-oriented features.
"The spider left a fine, webby tangle across the garden wall."
"A fine, webby pattern spread across the bushes."
"The landing page felt too webby, with links competing for the reader's attention."
Webby works both before and after the internet: it can describe a spider's silken lattice or a page crowded with links.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does webby come from?
Webby is an English formation from web plus the adjective-forming suffix -y. The base web has long supplied related formations such as webbed, webbing, and webster, while cobweb combines it with cob. The modern digital sense is a later figurative extension of the image of a network or web.
Related word forms
How webby is actually used
Informal and often mildly evaluative. In digital contexts, it can suggest either a deliberately rich, interconnected browsing experience or an excessive amount of links and web material.
Easily confused with webby
Webby means netlike or internet-heavy, whereas webbed usually describes an animal with skin extending between its toes.