gumball

noun

gum·​ball ˈgəm-ˌbȯl How to pronounce gumball (audio)
plural gumballs
: a ball of chewing gum in a candied shell
Ah, the gumball machine. That tempting, rainbow-hued orb of treats that lurks outside every supermarket, dry cleaner and amusement park in America. Just a quarter gets you a sweet treat to bubble and stretch as you please, but how long has that gumball been sitting there?Melissa Kravitz

Examples of gumball in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The pop-up will include fun and immersive elements such as a gumball machine doling out prizes. Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2025 Past years have seen customers pull up to the 7-Eleven with a mini gumball machine, a fish bowl, a sandcastle mold, a vase, a plastic jack-ol-antern and a soup mug. Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025 With the help of a giant gumball machine, players are sorted into red and blue teams for the next game, which they’re informed will be a deadly version of hide-and-seek. Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 27 June 2025 Customers at the new Dilworth location will find Seemingly Overzealous leaning into a fun vibe with arcade games, gumball sprinkle machines and custom artwork from local artist Brett TWOKAT, along with nostalgic designs from Mad Goat Studio. Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for gumball

Word History

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gumball was in 1855

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Cite this Entry

“Gumball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gumball. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

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