blow job: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2 (Very Low Frequency in formal/standard contexts)Vulgar slang, highly informal, taboo. Used almost exclusively in casual, intimate, or crudely humorous contexts among adults.
Quick answer
What does “blow job” mean?
The act of stimulating a man's penis with the mouth and tongue.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The act of stimulating a man's penis with the mouth and tongue; fellatio.
While the core meaning is specific, it can be used metaphorically in extremely vulgar slang to refer to flattery or sycophantic behavior.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or register. The term is equally vulgar in both varieties.
Connotations
Universally recognized as crude and explicit. Slightly more likely to be spelled as a single word ('blowjob') in American English, but the two-word form is also common.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in polite discourse in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “blow job” in a Sentence
SUBJ give OBJ (a blow job)SUBJ get (a blow job) from OBJVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Never used.
Academic
May appear in clinical, sociological, or gender studies contexts, typically within quotation marks or as a cited term from research subjects.
Everyday
Only in very specific, private, and informal conversations among consenting adults. Its public use is considered shocking and rude.
Technical
Not used. 'Fellatio' is the technical/medical term.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “blow job”
- Using it in an inappropriate context (e.g., classroom, office).
- Misspelling as 'blowjob' (acceptable variant) or 'blow-job' (less common).
- Attempting to use it euphemistically—it has no polite connotation.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is not traditionally classified with profanities like the f-word, but it is considered highly vulgar, taboo, and offensive in polite conversation. Its usage carries significant social risk.
The polite or clinical term is 'fellatio' or more generally 'oral sex'.
Yes, but only in contexts where all participants are comfortable with extremely crude and sexually explicit humour. The risk of causing offence is very high.
Primarily for receptive understanding—to recognize it as highly inappropriate in most settings and to comprehend it in media (films, songs, adult literature). Active use is strongly discouraged for learners outside of exceptional circumstances.
The act of stimulating a man's penis with the mouth and tongue.
Blow job is usually vulgar slang, highly informal, taboo. used almost exclusively in casual, intimate, or crudely humorous contexts among adults. in register.
Blow job: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbləʊ ˌdʒɒb/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbloʊ ˌdʒɑːb/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Not recommended for standard language learning due to its register. Remember it as a compound of the verb 'blow' (in its slang sense) and 'job' (meaning 'task').
Conceptual Metaphor
SEXUAL ACTIVITY IS WORK/A TASK (highly vulgar instantiation).
Practice
Quiz
In which of the following contexts would the term 'blow job' be MOST likely to appear?