ball 1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈbȯl How to pronounce ball (audio)
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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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ball

2 of 3

noun (2)

as in dance
a social gathering for dancing a ball to celebrate the inauguration

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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
Velasquez chased a ball tailing away after the initial dig before a hitting error gave Granada Hills a 7-4 advantage in the fifth set. — Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 11 Nov. 2026 George, who lit up his former team with 36 points on 14-of-22 shooting in his return to Xfinity Mobile Arena, rolled the ball to a spectator sitting beneath the basket, then raised his middle finger. — Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 11 Nov. 2026
Verb
Those guys came in and really stepped up, Dohnte, Mitch, Tanner (Hudson) and Mike and really Tee for a good part of the game, too, balled as well. — Zak Keefer, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026 Most of us puke and then cancel plans; Clark went out there and continued to ball. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ball
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ball
  1. sphere
  2. bullet
  3. dance
  4. round
  5. globe
  6. ammunition
  7. prom
  8. roll
Noun
  • Under the right conditions, the sheets close in on themselves, forming a sphere with a pocket of water trapped inside.
    — Perri Thaler, Quanta Magazine, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Conrad is elated to see Ashe back in the public sphere in such a significant way.
    — Josh Glicksman, Billboard, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of sphere
Noun
  • No children or school employees were injured, but a man from Mexico without legal status and an ICE agent were struck by bullets.
    — Brian Mann, NPR, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Tom is wearing a leather jacket with bullets around his neck on the first album cover.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of bullet
Noun
  • Vodun Days, an eight-day celebration of Benin’s indigenous spiritual traditions taking place January 2–9, 2027, will showcase ceremonies, music, and dance.
    — Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Nov. 2026
  • The defending state champs would love to quiet the talk of all the critics, who don’t believe the Rams belong in the dance with a losing record.
    — Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of dance
Verb
  • Complimentary white-glove delivery, a 365-night sleep trial, and a lifetime warranty round out the perks of this high-end buy.
    — Jacorey Moon, Architectural Digest, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Magnesium construction, weather sealing, and a large lens library round out the package.
    — Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of round
Noun
  • His innovative menus might be inspired by both his German upbringing and world travels, but that doesn’t mean trying to fit the entire globe in one menu.
    — Nathan Tavares, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026
  • He was known for his love of globes, often photographed posing with them, according to The Post.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of globe
Noun
  • Ukraine’s general staff said Monday that Russia’s military had bolstered its drone defenses and replenished ammunition supplies in the area during the ceasefire.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • During the search, officers allegedly found an AK-47 rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun, over 350 rounds of ammunition and 40 bags of fentanyl, police said.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of ammunition
Noun
  • Murray rocked a royal rewear of his Prince Charming costume from the teen rom com, escorting his wife Sarah Roemer to a prom at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County oncology department.
    — Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2026
  • In August 2017, Kate shared a throwback photo of the two of them attending prom together in their teenage years.
    — Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of prom
Verb
  • Isaac Asuma scored a career-high 23 points and Minnesota rolled to a 91-61 victory over Southern on Thursday night.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Nov. 2026
  • With rain expected to roll into the Boise area, ESPN’s College GameDay might be a wet one.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 13 Nov. 2026
Definition of roll

Phrases Containing ball

Browse Nearby Words

balky
ball
ballad
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Cite this Entry

“Ball.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ball. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ball

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ball

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