ball 1 of 3

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
Then guard Courtney Vandersloot drove up the court after a Fever turnover, lunged toward the basket with the ball in her hands and crashed directly into Aari McDonald. Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025 Perez worked a full count, then walked to first base on ball four. Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 8 June 2025 There are millions of spores within the ball that, when released, will blow about in the air and spread disease to other uninfected buds and blooms. Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2025 Turkey controlled the ball for most of the rest of the half. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 7 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for ball
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ball
Verb
  • The vibrant nightlife scene was rounded out each day of runway shows and networking opportunities, with Miami’s legendary party culture infusing the Swim Week energy.
    Cassell Ferere, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
  • Take a whirl on the 180-foot observation wheel for a peek at Mississippi Sound; catch an adrenaline rush on the Rolling Thunder ‘coaster; and round out the afternoon with a foot-long corn dog and cotton candy from the onsite snack shacks.
    Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 7 June 2025
Verb
  • Tanks will roll, helicopters will roar overhead, and fireworks will light up the night sky.
    Nik Popli, Time, 12 June 2025
  • Left unsaid: With the way the Mets’ rotation is rolling, what’s the rush?
    Will Sammon, New York Times, 12 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ball.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ball. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

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