variants
or less commonly rootball
plural root balls also rootballs
: the compact mass of roots and soil formed by a plant especially in a container
If there are large circling roots or you have a difficult time straightening the roots, the root ball should be thinned and the soil loosened before planting.—
Carey Brothers
Carey BrothersExamples of root ball in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Repot each plant so that the top of the root ball is about 1 inch below the soil surface.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026
Loosen the shrub’s root ball gently and plant it in the hole, backfilling with the soil mixture.
—Cori Sears, The Spruce, 8 Apr. 2026
Make sure the root balls of all plant are moist at planting time.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2026
Place the seedling in the container so that the top of the root ball is level with the soil.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for root ball
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.
Steve Bender, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026
Loosen the shrub’s root ball gently and plant it in the hole, backfilling with the soil mixture.
—Cori Sears, The Spruce, 8 Apr. 2026
Make sure the root balls of all plant are moist at planting time.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2026
Place the seedling in the container so that the top of the root ball is level with the soil.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for root ball
Cite this Entry
“Root ball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/root%20ball. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
