What does "jibe" mean?
A facetious or insulting remark; a jeer, a taunt.
Jibe
/d͡ʒaɪb/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A facetious or insulting remark; a jeer, a taunt.
- Grammar: jibe is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: gibe, about ship, accord, agree.
- Useful contrasts: compliment, conflict, contradict.
- Usage evidence: His criticism of the Thai people doesn't jibe at all with my experience of them.
How to use "jibe"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "jibe" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "jibe" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "jibe" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "jibe" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "jibe" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "gibe" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "jibe", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A facetious or insulting remark; a jeer, a taunt.
"He flung subtle jibes at her until she couldn’t bear to work with him any longer."
- 2 Alternative spelling of gybe. US, alt-of, alternative
- 3 an aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile and intended to have a telling effect wordnet
Verb
- 1 To reproach with contemptuous words; to deride, to mock, to taunt. transitive
"[Y]ou / Did pocket vp my Letters: and with taunts / Did gibe my Miſive out of audience."
- 2 To accord or agree. Canada, US, informal, intransitive
"That explanation doesn’t jibe with the facts."
- 3 Alternative spelling of gybe. US, alt-of, alternative
- 4 shift from one side of the ship to the other wordnet
- 5 To say in a mocking or taunting manner. transitive
"Scarlett felt her heart begin its mad racing again and she clutched her hand against it unconsciously, as if she would squeeze it into submission. "Eavesdroppers often hear highly instructive things," jibed a memory."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics wordnet
- 7 To make a mocking remark or remarks; to jeer. intransitive
"Why thats the way to choake a gibing ſpirrit, / Whoſe influence is begot of that looſe grace, / Which ſhallow laughing hearers giue to fooles, […]"
Antonyms
Example
"His criticism of the Thai people doesn't jibe at all with my experience of them."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "jibe"?
Common synonyms include: gibe, about ship, accord, agree, agree, agree.
How do you use "jibe" in a sentence?
His criticism of the Thai people doesn't jibe at all with my experience of them.
How do you pronounce "jibe"?
Pronounced /d͡ʒaɪb/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Uncertain; possibly from Old French giber (“to engage in horseplay; to play roughly in sport”). Compare English jib (“usually of a horse: to stop and refuse to go forward”), Old Norse geipa (“to talk nonsense”). The noun is derived from the verb.
Etymology 2
Origin unknown; perhaps related to chime (“to cause to sound in harmony”).
Etymology 3
See gybe.