lowball

verb

low·​ball ˈlō-ˌbȯl How to pronounce lowball (audio)
lowballed; lowballing; lowballs

transitive verb

1
: to give (a customer) a deceptively low price or cost estimate
2
: to give a markedly or unfairly low offer
lowballed him in contract negotiations
lowball noun

Example Sentences

It became clear that the contractor had lowballed us on the cost of materials. Management lowballed him in contract negotiations.
Recent Examples on the Web The maps particularly lowball the chance of disaster in California, according to Matthew Eby, executive director of First Street Foundation, a risk analysis organization. Michael Phillis, Fortune, 20 Jan. 2023 The maps particularly lowball the chance of disaster in California, according to Matthew Eby, executive director of First Street Foundation, a risk analysis organization. Michael Phillis, Fortune, 20 Jan. 2023 The maps particularly lowball the chance of disaster in California, according to Matthew Eby, executive director of First Street Foundation, a risk analysis organization. Michael Phillis, Fortune, 20 Jan. 2023 The maps particularly lowball the chance of disaster in California, according to Matthew Eby, executive director of First Street Foundation, a risk analysis organization. Michael Phillis, Fortune, 20 Jan. 2023 The maps particularly lowball the chance of disaster in California, according to Matthew Eby, executive director of First Street Foundation, a risk analysis organization. Time, 21 Jan. 2023 The maps particularly lowball the chance of disaster in California, according to Matthew Eby, executive director of First Street Foundation, a risk analysis organization. Michael Phillis, BostonGlobe.com, 21 Jan. 2023 This would encourage drugmakers to cut off countries that lowball them. WSJ, 18 Sep. 2022 In a recession, companies are more reluctant to hire and often lowball their offers for talented workers. Serenity Gibbons, Forbes, 7 July 2022 See More

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

Word History

First Known Use

1957, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lowball was in 1957

Dictionary Entries Near lowball

Cite this Entry

“Lowball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lowball. Accessed 23 Mar. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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