Synonyms

tubby

American

[tuhb-ee] / ˈtʌb i /

adjective

tubbier, tubbiest

short and fat.

a tubby child.
having a dull, thumping sound; lacking resonance.

tubby British

/ ˈtʌbɪ /

adjective

plump
shaped like a tub
rare having little resonance

"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

Other Word Forms

tubbiness noun

Etymology

Origin of tubby

First recorded in 1800–10; tub + -y ¹

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.

Diving in a kelp forest in Monterey Bay recently, I watched a tubby 200-pound harbor seal follow a fellow diver, nibbling on his flippers.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 16, 2025

Of all the things to say about Gaetz … tubby?

From Slate • Apr. 18, 2024

Throughout their journey, they’re beset by weird creatures familiar to “D&D” players: a tubby fire-breathing dragon and a beast called an owlbear.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 28, 2023

Then they invite the public to vote online for their favorite tubby bear.

From Washington Post • Sep. 26, 2022

Unfortunately, though, being the tubby daughter of Clover City’s most cherished beauty queen doesn’t win me much street cred.

From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023