jump ball
noun
: a method of putting a basketball into play by tossing it into the air between two opponents who jump up and attempt to tap the ball to a teammate
also
: a ball put into play in this manner
Examples of jump ball in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Tyree, who’d been struggling to make catches all week long, won the jump ball over Rodney Harrison and used his helmet to secure it safely to the ground.
—
Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 5 June 2026
Play was stopped for about a minute before the game resumed with a jump ball.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 4 June 2026
The incident caused the game to be paused for a short time before play got back underway with a jump ball.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
Eventually, play resumed with a jump ball.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for jump ball
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Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 5 June 2026
Play was stopped for about a minute before the game resumed with a jump ball.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 4 June 2026
The incident caused the game to be paused for a short time before play got back underway with a jump ball.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
Eventually, play resumed with a jump ball.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for jump ball
Cite this Entry
“Jump ball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jump%20ball. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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