softball

noun

soft·​ball ˈsȯf(t)-ˌbȯl 

1

: a sport similar to baseball played on a small diamond with a ball that is larger than a baseball and that is pitched underhand

also : the ball used in this game

2

: a question requiring only an easy or simple response

softballer

ˈsȯf(t)-ˌbȯ-lər 

noun

Examples of softball in a Sentence

Do you want to play softball?

All the questions in the interview were softballs.

Recent Examples on the Web

Gatlin was accused of authorizing Foundation funds to pay not only Jones’ company in Atlanta, but also a Miami-Dade company that sold designer goods and a Broward event-planning company that created videos, a website and other services for her daughter’s softball team, according to her indictment. —Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 10 Dec. 2025

Two athletes from most varsity teams were in attendance, with speakers from the Aztecs’ basketball, football, track, golf, softball, lacrosse, soccer and tennis teams. —Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Dec. 2025

Over the years, Hale has become friends with the Racers cast, bringing them cookies, baking them pumpkin bread and attending their employee softball games. —Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 5 Dec. 2025

Catherine Aker, vice president of communications and community, told the Authority the A's already are heavily involved in Las Vegas, and in the past three years the club has supported every youth baseball and softball team in the area. —CBS News, 4 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for softball

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

Kids Definition

softball

noun

soft·​ball ˈsȯf(t)-ˌbȯl 

: baseball played on a small diamond with a ball that is larger than a baseball and that is pitched underhand

also : the ball used in this game