Phrase guide

Rube Goldberg machine

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A comical, overcomplicated machine which performs a simple task.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Canada, US

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Heath Robinson

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Anything that is overly complicated.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Named after American cartoonist Rube Goldberg, who drew many such machines in his comics.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 魯布·戈德堡機械 /鲁布·戈德堡机械 — comically overcomplicated machine
  • Dutch: Rube Goldbergmachine — comically overcomplicated machine
  • French: usine à gaz — comically overcomplicated machine
  • German: Rube-Goldberg-Maschine — comically overcomplicated machine
  • Hungarian: Rube Goldberg-gép — comically overcomplicated machine
  • Japanese: ルーブ・ゴールドバーグ・マシン — comically overcomplicated machine
  • Japanese: ピタゴラスイッチ (pitagora suicchi) — comically overcomplicated machine
  • Japanese: ピタゴラ装置 (pitagora sōchi) — comically overcomplicated machine
  • Spanish: Máquina de Rube Goldberg — comically overcomplicated machine
  • Swedish: Rube Goldberg-maskin — comically overcomplicated machine
  • Turkish: Rube Goldberg makinesi — comically overcomplicated machine
  • Turkish: Zihni Sinir Proceleri — comically overcomplicated machine