ball 1 of 3

1
as in sphere
a more or less round body or mass the little rubber ball used in racquetball a ball of string

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2
as in bullet
a usually round or cone-shaped little piece of lead made to be fired from a firearm found a cache of musket balls while excavating the old fort

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ball

2 of 3

noun (2)

ball

3 of 3

verb

as in to round
to form into a round compact mass balled up the paper and threw it at the garbage can

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of ball
Noun
Projected as a top-5 pick in tomorrow’s draft, Hunter represents the rare modern athlete who excelled on both sides of the ball at the highest collegiate level. Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 23 Apr. 2025 Luka Doncic, who had been fully engaged on the defensive side of the ball, was flat-footed as Anthony Edwards rammed into the paint. Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025 Schauffele’s memorable second shot — with the ball in the fairway but Schauffele’s feet in an adjoining bunker — landed just off the green. Steve Lyttle, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2025 The ball scooted past Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second base, who ducked away at the last second as a large piece of the bat was also headed in his direction. Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ball
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ball
Verb
  • The tracks below Basquiat and his mother are rounded, while his father stands over a single track disrupted by an oval right of center.
    Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Theo Rossi, Devon Bostick, and Claire Forlani round out the key cast.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The most effective technique for me was accompanying my breath with visualization, such as picturing waves rolling onto shore.
    Michelle Stansbury, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • To add to the pain, the U.S. Federal Reserve, which is a major owner of MBS, is currently letting the MBS roll off of its own portfolio, as part of an effort to shrink its balance sheet.
    Diana Olick, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ball.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ball. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

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