chubby

adjective

chub·by ˈchə-bē

chubbier; chubbiest

Synonyms of chubby

: somewhat fat

a chubby child

Growing up, I was always the chubbiest in the family …—Anna Schuchman

This is the very real story of the little bucktoothed, chubby 9-year-old boy who invented the MC …—Killer Mike, quoted in The Dallas Morning News

also : having a full, rounded form

a baby with chubby cheeks

Chubby, crackly egg rolls with chicken, beef, or vegetables are deep-fried to order … —Mike Sula

chubbiness

ˈchə-bē-nəs

noun

The faces in the mosaics have a roundness, the figures a chubbiness that one does not associate with Roman portraiture … —Sarah Caudwell

Examples of chubby in a Sentence

the chubby baby had slimmed down by the time she was a toddler

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Some fans online have criticized the decision to cast a non-plus sized actor to play the character of Harris, who was described as chubbier than the hockey players of the book. — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 9 Aug. 2026 The first major problem with that approach is that chubby rain is too silly to stop thinking about. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026 Her legs weren't as shapely; her knees were chubby; her thighs too thick; her boobs not large enough. — Staff Author, InStyle, 18 June 2026 In a sport that has grown increasingly complex in its offenses and defenses, with wrinkles upon wrinkles like a chubby newborn baby, teams need continuity and cohesion to thrive. — Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for chubby

Word History

Etymology

chub

First Known Use

1722, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of chubby was in 1722

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Chubby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chubby. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

chubby

adjective

chub·by ˈchəb-ē

chubbier; chubbiest

: plump entry 5

a chubby baby

chubbiness noun

chubby

adjective

Synonyms of chubby

Examples of chubby in a Sentence

Word History

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Kids Definition

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chubby

adjective

Synonyms of chubby

Examples of chubby in a Sentence

Word History

Rhymes for chubby

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on chubby

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

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Popular in Grammar & Usage

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Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

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Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes