handball

noun

hand·​ball ˈhan(d)-ˌbȯl How to pronounce handball (audio)
1
: a game played in a walled court or against a single wall or board by two or four players who use their hands to strike the ball
2
: a small rubber ball used in handball

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web SI Sportsbook offers all major US sports, Australian rules football, badminton, boxing, cricket, cycling, darts, eSports, handball, fighting sports, motor sports and more. Chris Ilenstine, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2023 On top of the popular sports listed above, the DraftKings betting menu runs deep with odds for cricket, darts, cycling, lacrosse, handball, rugby, motorsports, and much more. Brian Sausa | Catena Media, al, 15 Nov. 2022 Most New York City pickleball occurs on asphalt or concrete spaces created for other things—handball, soccer, skateboarding—and are B.Y.O.N.: bring your own net. Sarah Larson, The New Yorker, 18 July 2022 The online sportsbook offers every major US sport and many favorites across the world such as badminton, boxing, cricket, cycling, darts, Formula 1, handball and rugby. Chris Ilenstine, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2023 Cordero tried basketball, soccer, handball and track before realizing volleyball was going to be her sport. Terry Monahan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Oct. 2022 The Terriers got an early goal on a penalty kick, called for an inadvertent handball in the box. Steve Smith, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2022 Lizzo's original message to Evans featured the emojis for dashing away, a woman playing handball and basketball. Alexia Fernández, PEOPLE.com, 2 Aug. 2021 Ratko Tomljanovic also knew about playing in hostile environments, especially in Europe, where handball is intensely popular and the stakes are high. David Waldstein, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'handball.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1704, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of handball was in 1704

Dictionary Entries Near handball

Cite this Entry

“Handball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/handball. Accessed 25 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

handball

noun
hand·​ball -ˌbȯl How to pronounce handball (audio)
1
: a game played in a walled court or against a single wall or board by two or four players who use their hands to strike a ball
2
: the ball used in handball

More from Merriam-Webster on handball

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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