handball

noun

hand·​ball ˈhan(d)-ˌbȯl 

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

Examples of handball in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The frantic match finished 1-0 after LAFC center back Ryan Porteous was called for a handball in the box while defending a corner kick. — Josh Gross, Daily News, 16 Aug. 2026

Sentnor appeared to give Angel City the lead in the 37th minute, but the goal was overturned following a VAR review that determined teammate Prisca Chilufya committed a handball. — ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026

That point was in doubt late as Bay defender Aldana Cometti’s hand hit the ball on a Tessa Dellarose shot in stoppage time, but it was not ruled a handball upon quick review and Bay didn’t have to face a penalty kick. — Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026

Sometimes the speed of offside decisions can cause confusion and frustration in the Premier League, while handball decisions have also led to controversy, so these too would be areas for the English top flight to study. — Graham Scott, New York Times, 22 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1704, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing handball

• team handball

Rhymes for handball

• aldol
• armhole
• atoll
• awol
• backhaul
• banal
• baseball
• befall
• cabal
• catchall
• cecal
• centrale

Kids Definition

handball

noun

hand·​ball -ˌbȯl 

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