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Definition of fishbowl

fishbowl

/ˈfɪʃ.boʊl/
fish · bowl
Plural:fishbowls
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fishbowl Lexical Profile

fishbowl Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A spherical glass bowl used for keeping live fish as pets.

Example

"She carefully transferred the goldfish into a clean fishbowl on the kitchen counter."

2

A situation, environment, or role in which one's activities are entirely public and subject to intense scrutiny or observation.

Example

"Being the mayor of a small town often feels like living in a fishbowl."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for fishbowl
Antonyms
View all antonyms for fishbowl

• Nearby Words

fishball
fishboat
fishbone
fishbowl
fishburger
fishcake
fisher

Word Origin & Etymology

First recorded in the mid-19th century, formed as a compound of 'fish' and 'bowl'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Fishbowl. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/fishbowl
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