knobby

Covered with protuberances

Knobby describes something covered with or full of knobs—small rounded lumps or protrusions.

Knobby knees are bony and prominent.

A knobby walking stick has a rough, bumpy surface.

Knobby tires have chunky treads for off-road traction.

The word suggests an uneven, lumpy texture rather than smoothness.

texture

bumpy

Uneven in surface

uneven · ridged · nubby · knotted · nodular · pebbled · dimpled · irregular · protuberant · warty

botanical

root

Underground absorbing structure

  • branchDivision or woody limb
  • twigSlender woody shoot
  • barkSharp canine vocalization

ginger · tuber · burl · driftwood · vine · trunk · wood · oak · cane · walking-stick

anatomy

knee

Leg's middle hinge

ankle · spine · finger · arthritic · bony · skeletal · kneecap · wrist · cartilage · swollen

tire

tread

Surface that grips ground

mud · all-terrain · lug · motocross · rugged · dirt · trail · puncture-resistant · chunky

Categories
Opposites
surface texture

knobbysmooth

Without roughness or difficulty

sleek · polished · glossy · silky · slick

contour/form

knobbyshapely

Attractively curved or formed

even · streamlined · smooth · slender · regular

Phrases
Family

knob, doorknob, knobs, knobbed, doorknobs, knoblike, knobbier, knobbiest

Familiarity
Top 100,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G