1
as in sphere
a more or less round body or mass
the little rubber ball used in racquetball a ball of string
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of ball
Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
Pulling the ball in the air more has helped Altuve produce several of his highest home-run totals over the last five seasons.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 14 Feb. 2026
Quincy Bulin, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Jan. 2026
Trump's pin features a cartoon version of himself with his mouth open, brows furrowed and fists balled at his sides.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ball
Noun
The show invents the initial meeting to be like Cinderella crashing the ball.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
Pulling the ball in the air more has helped Altuve produce several of his highest home-run totals over the last five seasons.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 14 Feb. 2026
Verb
Its traditional, comfortable aesthetic matches mine perfectly, though as someone who’s forever balling on a budget, the prices make their products just out of reach.
—Quincy Bulin, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Jan. 2026
Trump's pin features a cartoon version of himself with his mouth open, brows furrowed and fists balled at his sides.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ball
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ball
Verb
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Blue Raspberry rounds out the flavor options and delivers 5 grams of micronized creatine that’s proven to increase strength, support muscle growth and improve workout endurance.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
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Michigan, Ohio State, Louisville and Oklahoma round out the top 10 this week.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But the movie’s artful direction, nimble structure, visual richness and impeccable performances make for something full-bodied, compelling and deeply affecting, its melancholy beauty lingering long after the end credits roll.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
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That rolling emergency declaration enabled more than $573 million to be spent on immigration enforcement from the account since 2023, including $405 million in just the past six months tied to pop-up detention centers, private jet costs and restaurant bills.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ball.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ball. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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