ball 1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈbȯl How to pronounce ball (audio)
Definition of ballnext
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ball

2 of 3

noun (2)

as in dance
a social gathering for dancing a ball to celebrate the inauguration

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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
But left fielder Mauricio Dubón took a step back before running up futilely as Fermin’s ball dropped to the grass. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 July 2026 Only Zendaya could convince the internet that tennis balls belong on stilettos. — Amanda Le, InStyle, 23 July 2026
Verb
The explosion had balled me up, shoved me aside, and pelted me with hot stones. — Will MacKin, New Yorker, 28 June 2026 The longevity of the fabric and reduced buildup on the lint trap make the wool ball a better, all-natural alternative to disposable dryer sheets. — Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for ball
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ball
  1. sphere
  2. bullet
  3. dance
  4. round
  5. globe
  6. ammunition
  7. prom
  8. roll
Noun
  • The three-deck sphere (hence, the name sphere class) at the heart of the ship is a lively social hub.
    — Tracey Teo, AJC.com, 23 July 2026
  • The portable, candle-like table lamp was first launched in 2005 and is fashioned as a rechargeable glass sphere, formed from two imperfect hemispheres.
    — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 23 July 2026
Definition of sphere
Noun
  • Kingsbury argued that Payton fled for his life firing behind him on 10th Street as bullets whizzed and ricocheted past; and argued Payton’s return fire was not responsible for the deaths of the three women.
    — Darrell Smith July 16, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026
  • The officers also saw that the windshield of a cruiser had been hit by a bullet.
    — Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 16 July 2026
Definition of bullet
Noun
  • And then there’s some that are dance mixes, and then there’s some that are just regular urban mixes.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 23 July 2026
  • On June 9, Foster shared a teaching schedule for dance and cardio on Instagram at a studio based in Wilmington, North Carolina.
    — Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 23 July 2026
Definition of dance
Verb
  • The market drops considerably after the leading contenders, and the long shots include the United States, which is currently the 19th favorite to win it all at +8000 after its round-of-16 exit on home soil in 2026.
    — Dean Jones, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Elliot Page, Jon Bernthal and John Leguizamo round out the starry ensemble.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 19 July 2026
Definition of round
Noun
  • In the end, Nolan made his production a truly globe-trotting affair, spanning six countries across 91 days.
    — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 17 July 2026
  • The arduous, globe-trotting shoot, helmed by director Christopher Nolan, took Matt Damon and the cast to locales around the world Greece, Morocco, Iceland, Scotland and Italy.
    — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026
Definition of globe
Noun
  • Most defense investors are currently pricing deterrence, ammunition, drones and military readiness.
    — Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • Ukraine is also running out of ammunition in the midst of a declining global supply.
    — Ihor N. Stelmach, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2026
Definition of ammunition
Noun
  • The couple attended their high school prom together and got married in June 2019.
    — Emma Banks, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026
  • Dunkin’ Prom, which funds alternative proms for teens who may have missed theirs for medical reasons and lastly, grants to customize hospital spaces to create joy.
    — Zuri Primos June 29, Kansas City Star, 29 June 2026
Definition of prom
Verb
  • Esquire is one of only a handful of theaters housing the Grand Theatre projector that can roll through the film.
    — Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 18 July 2026
  • The baseball rolled into shallow center field and both runners scored.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026
Definition of roll

Phrases Containing ball

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balky
ball
ballad
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Cite this Entry

“Ball.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ball. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ball

Nglish: Translation of ball for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ball

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