cobble

1 of 2

verb

cob·​ble ˈkä-bəl 

cobbled; cobbling ˈkä-b(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

chiefly British : to mend or patch coarsely

2

: repair, make

cobble shoes

3

: to make or put together roughly or hastily

—often used with together or up

cobble together an agreement

cobble up a temporary solution

cobble

2 of 2

noun

1

: cobblestone

2

cobbles plural, chiefly British : lump coal about the size of small cobblestones

Synonyms of cobble

Verb

• patch (together)
• throw together
• knock together

Examples of cobble in a Sentence

Verb

expensive leather shoes cobbled in Italy

Noun

a street paved with cobbles

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The situation remained fluid as negotiators were still making minor changes Tuesday, and a team of lawyers and fiscal analysts need to cobble together the gigantic budget in the coming days before any votes are cast. —Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026

Bibby a year ago was in the midst of cobbling together a roster of 15, all first-time teammates, in his first go-around in navigating the unpredictable waters of the portal. —Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026

Noun

Fabric headboards back enormous beds, there's ample closet space, and the enormous bathroom has a free-standing bathtub with Votary products to soothe sore feet after a day pounding the cobbles. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026

Heck, the first-ever settlements probably used some cobbles to cobble together a road. —Big Think, 23 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English coblen, perhaps back-formation from cobelere cobbler

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cobble

• bauble
• gobble
• hobble
• labile
• squabble
• wobble
• cantabile

Kids Definition

cobble

1 of 2 verb

cob·​ble ˈkäb-əl 

cobbled; cobbling -(ə-)liŋ 

: to make roughly or hastily

—often used with together or up

cobble

2 of 2 noun

: a rounded stone larger than a pebble and smaller than a boulder