as in bundles
a large amount of a material (such as hay or wool) that is pressed together tightly and often tied or wrapped
a bale of cotton/paper
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Recent Examples of bales
The bales weighed nearly 780 pounds and were estimated to have a street value of more than $5 million altogether.
—
CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
The artificial ice would be surrounded by bales of hay to provide a safety barrier for skaters.
—Cary Goodman, New York Daily News, 23 Feb. 2026
Cotton was a big crop in Savannah before the Civil War, with the city exporting more than half a million bales of cotton a year.
—Jim Halley, AJC.com, 27 Jan. 2026
In terms of exports, the only change over 100,000 bales was for Mali (-150,000 bales to 900,000).
—Sj Guest Editorial, Sourcing Journal, 15 Dec. 2025
Some used the money to buy new bales or machinery, or to help their family through that moment.
—Bella Webb, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2025
An employee dove between two metal bales that surround the facility to quickly carry a customer who had been burned to safety.
—Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Departing from Greenbank Station in Wilmington, this ride trades traditional passenger cars for flatbed railcars lined with hay bales, giving travelers the feel of an open-air hay wagon.
—Kristine Hansen, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2025
Dressed as Pokémon characters, third-year attendees Bryan and Sheri Allbaugh were taking pictures by the festive hay bales with their daughter, Lith.
—Amy Stark Shireman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Oct. 2025
CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
The artificial ice would be surrounded by bales of hay to provide a safety barrier for skaters.
—Cary Goodman, New York Daily News, 23 Feb. 2026
Cotton was a big crop in Savannah before the Civil War, with the city exporting more than half a million bales of cotton a year.
—Jim Halley, AJC.com, 27 Jan. 2026
In terms of exports, the only change over 100,000 bales was for Mali (-150,000 bales to 900,000).
—Sj Guest Editorial, Sourcing Journal, 15 Dec. 2025
Some used the money to buy new bales or machinery, or to help their family through that moment.
—Bella Webb, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2025
An employee dove between two metal bales that surround the facility to quickly carry a customer who had been burned to safety.
—Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Departing from Greenbank Station in Wilmington, this ride trades traditional passenger cars for flatbed railcars lined with hay bales, giving travelers the feel of an open-air hay wagon.
—Kristine Hansen, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2025
Dressed as Pokémon characters, third-year attendees Bryan and Sheri Allbaugh were taking pictures by the festive hay bales with their daughter, Lith.
—Amy Stark Shireman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bales
Noun
-
For example, the official city yard waste carts, which have bright green lids and are available for purchase, can hold up to 200 pounds of weight, while all other containers or bundles have a 50 pound weight limit.—
Bridget Fogarty,
jsonline.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
One of the largest displays featured bloodied bundles of white cloth spread across the grass like a makeshift graveyard.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Where do your packages normally come from?—
Megan Cassidy,
San Francisco Chronicle,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Plus, DirecTV offers a five-day free trial for any plan, meaning new members can stream Real Housewives (and everything else the packages have to offer) at no cost during the trial period.—
Erin Lassner,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In a nutshell, OFDMA divides channels into resource units (RUs), allowing for smaller data packets that can be transmitted to multiple users simultaneously.—
Iyaz Akhtar,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Seven stacks of tiny paper cups were arranged to the left, next to packets of Nescafé, pouches of two-minute noodles, and a double gas burner connected to the cylinder—the main tool of his trade.—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Combined, the marijuana loads had a street value of about $675,000 in the United States, and high-quality weed could be worth two to three times higher in Europe, according to the CBP.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The hospital’s closure has meant many workers are out of a job, patients are having to find other options for care, and nearby hospitals, including Rush Oak Park Hospital and Loretto Hospital, may face heavier patient loads.—
Lisa Schencker,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Across multiple designs and operating conditions, CNTF heaters consistently achieved higher specific power loadings than comparable metal-alloy elements.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Saudi Arabia has increased crude loadings in recent weeks, and strategic petroleum reserves held by major consuming nations like China, could provide some temporary cushioning to the market, Rystad Energy said in a note Sunday.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
About 75% of customers buy lesson packs, which allow coaches to build long-term relationships and earn extra bonuses.—
Kathy Kristof,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
They are commonly sold in 8-count variety packs, primarily at retailers like Walmart.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
That’s familiar territory for Paton, though, who will be operating without a first-rounder for the third time in six drafts as Denver’s general manager.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The Panthers, according to many mock drafts, might spend their first-round pick in the draft later this month on a wide receiver.—
Alex Zietlow
April 2,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bales. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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