ball 1 of 3

Definition of ballnext
1
as in sphere
a more or less round body or mass the little rubber ball used in racquetball a ball of string

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2
as in bullet
a usually round or cone-shaped little piece of lead made to be fired from a firearm found a cache of musket balls while excavating the old fort

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ball

2 of 3

noun (2)

ball

3 of 3

verb

as in to round
to form into a round compact mass balled up the paper and threw it at the garbage can

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of ball
Noun
At the time, makeup artist Jazzy B revealed that the party included toys, slides and even a ball pit in several posts shared on Instagram. Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 17 May 2026 With a minute left in the game, quarterback CJ Luckado found Easton Wolfgramm in the end zone, and Wolfgramm made a catch on a 50-50 ball from 15 yards to secure the win. Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 May 2026
Verb
Some Cypress Village residents are beseeching the city to keep it that way, even as the HOA applies to let the pickle balling resume. Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 24 Apr. 2026 Jokic came off a pin-down from Braun to catch on the right wing — again making Gobert chase him around a screen — but air-balled the 3-pointer. Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ball
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ball
Noun
  • The sphere at the top of the node bobs in the water, with the attached tube oscillating water within it, spinning turbines inside the structure that generate electricity.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 14 May 2026
  • The advent of digital media outlets is transforming the way communication is being conducted in all spheres of life, including science communication.
    Prodromos Yannas, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • The landscaper may have been hit in the helmet with a bullet though that isn't confirmed, Wahl said.
    Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 19 May 2026
  • Parker was charged in 2024 with eight counts of felony child abuse and disregard for life – one for each bullet in the gun the student used.
    Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 18 May 2026
Noun
  • But during the aufguss ceremony at BASIN Glacial Waters, people smiled and laughed and swayed to the music, and Kyan’s dance-like towel moves distracted me from the discomfort of the heat.
    Jen Murphy, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 May 2026
  • Produced by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and founded in 1960, the festival will feature live music, dance gallery exhibits, family activities, an artist market and more.
    Finch Walker, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • So, in the abstract, asking EV and PHEV owners to pay their share is not unreasonable, especially since the slightly higher curb weight of these vehicles will do slightly more damage to the roads, although passenger vehicles are a rounding error compared to a garbage truck, bus, or tractor-trailer.
    Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 19 May 2026
  • Murray Bartlett, Jon Michael Hill, Kiarra Hamagami Goldberg, Nola Wallace and Dolly De Leon round out the cast.
    Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026
Noun
  • Thank you to my fellow globe-trotting futurist Natalie Monbiot for the press pass.
    Jesse Kirshbaum, SPIN, 15 May 2026
  • Santiago has world-class museums, vibrant parks and plazas, bohemian barrios, buzzing nightlife, and a growing food scene to match those globe-conquering wines.
    Mark Johanson, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • While executing a search warrant at the residence on the 3500 block of Orr Buyck Road, investigators seized several firearms as well as ammunition, according to the sheriff's office.
    Riley Moser, CBS News, 18 May 2026
  • Using live ammunition, soldiers forced their way through crowds that tried to block them from reaching the square.
    ABC News, ABC News, 18 May 2026
Noun
  • Smith said her daughter has been coming to the location every month since January to get alterations on her prom dress.
    Marissa Sulek, CBS News, 14 May 2026
  • High schoolers head over to celebrate after prom.
    Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 14 May 2026
Verb
  • There’s the area’s natural beauty, of course, inherent in the 12,000 acres of Georgia countryside—forests, rolling landscapes, creeks, and atmospheric ponds—that lie just 85 miles east of Atlanta on the state’s second largest lake.
    Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 16 May 2026
  • Because either McCluskie is one heck of a con man who rolled both Becerra and Williamson, making both believe what was happening was kosher with entirely different tales, or someone isn’t being entirely honest.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Ball.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ball. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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