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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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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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
One ticket sold in Tennessee matched all five white balls and included the Power Play option to win $2 million. — Avni Trivedi, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026 For Challenge 2 and beyond, the players get masquerade-ball half-masks on sticks, sans eyeholes, to use as blindfolds during challenge setups. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
The rayon-spandex knit is soft, stretchy, and virtually wrinkle-proof, so it can be balled into the corner of a tote bag as a backup outfit and still look fine at dinner. — Robin Raven, Travel + Leisure, 15 July 2026 Then there’s Cofie, who balled his way into a draft combine invite this spring, and Rice, whose name will be known in draft circles soon enough. — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 29 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
  • There was a narrative failure — partly in mainstream coverage of the race, and partly in the new progressive media sphere, which had predicted a landslide that would humiliate, not just beat, the establishment.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • French transparency authority, HATVP, ultimately found no issue with O’s transition from the public to private sphere.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of sphere
Noun
  • The Reuters news agency, citing police, reported that the shooter, who was 14 years old, fired at least 26 bullets and was found with 34 more rounds.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • More than 180 bullets pierced, cracked or shattered windows in six buildings on campus.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of bullet
Noun
  • The performers staged what appeared to be some kind of dance battle, creating a circle near sculptures by David Smith and Barnett Newman.
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • And the BroadStage, a performing arts venue on Santa Monica College’s campus, hosts a variety of concerts and dance shows and serves as the home base of the Santa Monica International Jazz Festival.
    — Carrie Bell, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of dance
Verb
  • Lashana Lynch, Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo and Viola Davis round out the A-list cast.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Retailers are already contending with customer concerns on self-checkout practices, surveillance pricing and electronic shelf labels, with penny rounding adding another potential point of friction at checkout.
    — Brian Delp, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of round
Noun
  • As long as the predominant globe-spanning Navy kept the seas free for everyone, there was no reason to be affiliated with any state.
    — Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Mulholland is in for a big change, heading from a New York–only gallery with 10 or so employees and a roster of 41 artists to a globe-spanning operation representing some 86 artists.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of globe
Noun
  • North Korea, in turn, has sent ammunition and soldiers to fight for Russia in its war in Ukraine.
    — ZHENG JIYONG, Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Failing that, Zelenskyy wants to make Patriot ammunition in Ukraine or get approval from Elon Musk to use his Starlink satellite communications system to guide strikes inside Russia that can hit its missile launchers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of ammunition
Noun
  • Two teenagers are taking their creativity to the next level with impressive prom dress and prom tux creations, both made out of duct tape.
    — Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • After an incident involving a helicopter landing for prom in a public park in south suburban Markham, city officials are taking new steps to gain control of the park district.
    — Jermont Terry, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of prom
Verb
  • The Red Sox had cruised to a 13-1 win on Friday night, rolling to that victory one night after rallying five times against the White Sox in a 13-inning marathon.
    — Curt Anderson, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
  • When rolling, it is recommended to run the pasta through a pasta machine at the thickest setting first, then fold the pasta strip over itself into 3 thicknesses and repeat, before moving down a setting.
    — Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 9 Aug. 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 13 Aug. 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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