basketball

noun

bas·​ket·​ball ˈba-skit-ˌbȯl 

often attributive

: a usually indoor court game between two teams of usually five players each who score by tossing an inflated ball through a raised goal

also : the ball used in this game

Examples of basketball in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Youth soccer, baseball and basketball have all experienced similar challenges. — Tim Genske, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026

The ruling involves 16 men's basketball players who sued the NCAA in Cobb County Superior Court in July after exhausting four seasons of college eligibility. — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026

There are socks – so many socks – and sneakers and basketballs. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026

That a player so important to the fabric of Liberty basketball could’ve had a better send-off. — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing basketball

• fantasy football/baseball/basketball

Rhymes for basketball

• aerosol
• alcohol
• arbitral
• butanol
• cannonball
• carbinol
• cortisol
• ethanol
• fireball
• gasohol
• gossypol
• guaiacol

Kids Definition

basketball

noun

bas·​ket·​ball -ˌbȯl 

: a court game in which each of two teams tries to toss an inflated ball through a raised goal

also : the ball used in this game