basketball

noun

bas·​ket·​ball ˈba-skit-ˌbȯl How to pronounce basketball (audio)
often attributive
: a usually indoor court game between two teams of usually five players each who score by tossing an inflated ball through a raised goal
also : the ball used in this game

Examples of basketball in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Higgins is also very slippery after the catch, playing with the balance of a basketball player. Mike Defabo, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025 Most Popular Most Popular With no major losses to transfer portal, will UConn women’s basketball add a contributor for 2025-26? Dr. Sabooh Mubbashar, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2025 Perhaps there’s a college basketball program out there that has something to offer to new would-be supporters like me. Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025 The Knicks walked into the belly of the beat, in front of a hostile Little Caesar’s Arena crowd representing a city that hadn’t seen a playoff victory at home since the Pistons played basketball at The Palace at Auburn Hills. Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for basketball

Word History

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of basketball was in 1891

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Cite this Entry

“Basketball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/basketball. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

basketball

noun
bas·​ket·​ball -ˌbȯl How to pronounce basketball (audio)
: a court game in which each of two teams tries to toss an inflated ball through a raised goal
also : the ball used in this game

More from Merriam-Webster on basketball

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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