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

Individuals matched by Team IMPACT with KU’s softball and women’s basketball teams also attended Tuesday’s game, won by KU 73-49. —Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 17 Dec. 2025

Font-Santiago, who was a basketball and softball coach at Azle High School, was previously arrested in April by Azle police on a charge of improper relationship between an educator and student. —Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Dec. 2025

Derek Curiel and Casan Evans, football players Trey’Dez Green and DJ Pickett, gymnast Kailin Chio, softball players Tori Edwards and Jayden Heavener and volleyball player Jurnee Robinson. —Riley Jones, Footwear News, 11 Dec. 2025

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

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