bowling

noun

bowl·​ing ˈbō-liŋ 

: any of several games in which balls are rolled (as on a green or down an alley) at an object or group of objects

Examples of bowling in a Sentence

She watches bowling on TV.

Recent Examples on the Web

The person throwing the bowling ball might not have intended a specific victim to be killed, or even knowingly planned to kill someone, but nonetheless did something that was obviously likely to cause serious harm. —Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 11 Apr. 2026

Good luck putting a bowling alley in most nationwide chains like AMC, but the mid-scale players like Harkins, B&B, and others are considering it or family entertainment options like it. —Brian Welk, IndieWire, 11 Apr. 2026

While in space, the crew spoke of the surreal sights of our dusty, rugged natural satellite, appearing about the size of a bowling ball at arm’s length, suspended in nothingness. —Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026

Video shows multiple tractor-trailer trucks on fire outside of a Brockton, Massachusetts bowling alley on Saturday. —Riley Rourke, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing bowling

• bowling alley
• bowling green
• lawn bowling
• tenpin bowling

Rhymes for bowling

• coaling
• doling
• growling
• holing
• poling
• polling
• rolling
• scrolling
• shoaling
• strolling
• tolling
• trolling

Kids Definition

bowling

noun

bowl·​ing ˈbō-liŋ 

1

: a game played by rolling balls so as to knock down pins set up at the far end of an alley

2

: lawn bowling