ball of wax

noun phrase

: affair, concern

the whole ball of wax

Examples of ball of wax in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Careers made and ruined, departments torn apart, writing programs turned into sensitivity seminars, political witch hunts, public opprobrium, ignorant media attacks, the whole ball of wax. — Emily Eakin, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026

This colony has seen more than its fair share of violence, accidental deaths, and even manslaughter, but a killing in cold blood during an otherwise pretty steady time is a whole other ball of wax. — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2026

Journalism, however, is a different ball of wax. — Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2026

While Charlie Brown looked for the meaning of Christmas, a local writer said how Sacramento may have started the whole jingle ball of wax. — Steve Large, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ball of wax

• almanacs
• carrybacks
• haversacks
• lumberjacks
• maniacs
• microcracks
• minimax
• paperbacks
• parallax
• quarterbacks
• sticklebacks
• telefax