1
2
: a short strap, ribbon, or chain attached especially to a pocket watch
3
: an ornament attached to a fob chain
4
or key fob
: an object attached to a key chain or key ring
especially
: a small electronic device used typically in place of a key (as to unlock a door or start a vehicle) or to remotely initiate the action of another device (such as a garage door)
Wireless systems are triggered by pressing a button on a remote fob much like those used for car alarms. —
Max Alexander
Max Alexander The remote-start key fob has a range of several hundred feet, allowing you to start the car's engine from inside your home. —Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports Examples of fob in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebDon Steinberg, TIME, 30 May 2024
In Pilot Point, in the Dallas area, a woman used her key fob to signal SOS after a twister roared through, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.
—CBS News, 27 May 2024
Eren Orbey, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for fob 
Noun
Every user carries a physical YubiKey fob that plugs into a computer to confirm their identity, eliminating annoying authentications that involve texts and mobile phones.
—Don Steinberg, TIME, 30 May 2024
In Pilot Point, in the Dallas area, a woman used her key fob to signal SOS after a twister roared through, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.
—CBS News, 27 May 2024
Verb
My mom fobbed me off with wistful trips around the city.
—Eren Orbey, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for fob
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fob.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Fob.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fob. Accessed 9 Jun. 2024.
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