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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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
Johnson caught the ball, kept his feet out of the end zone and tossed it back to Nwankpa, who downed it at the 1. — Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2026 Caminero’s baseball year had started with a bang back in January, when the then-21-year-old hit a ball 454 feet to clinch a championship in the Dominican Winter League. — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
Coat the mixer bowl in olive oil pam, roll the dough ball around in it, then put in the oven (make sure the oven is off) or put in a ziplock bag until the next day. — Kathryn Gregory, Louisville Courier Journal, 7 Sep. 2026 With the Bombers’ bullpen depleted, the junk-balling lefty didn’t allow a baserunner while recording a three-inning save after Cole hit the showers. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 21 Aug. 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
  • Her movie was launching her into a new sphere of opportunity — and visibility — in Hollywood, and there, a few inches away, was arguably the most famous filmmaker in the world.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Mildred is as self-satisfied in her own sphere as Yank is in his.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of sphere
Noun
  • The hope was that the Sox bullpen — which is basically everyone but Sean Burke — had enough bullets left for one more day.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • In a second complaint unsealed Wednesday, authorities allege that a few months after the U-Haul incident, a gang member fired a barrage of bullets at a man who owed Argumedo money.
    — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of bullet
Noun
  • For a dose of Balinese culture, Uluwatu Temple—one of the island’s most iconic for its clifftop architecture, sunset vistas and nightly kecak fire dance spectacle—is some 30-45 minutes by car.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Today, under the direction of his daughter Sheila Loewe, the organization continues to promote creativity and educational programs, as well as protect cultural heritage in the fields of craft, art, design, photography, poetry and dance.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of dance
Verb
  • Tiana Hogben, Kya Stewart, Lyanna Kea, Tony Goh and Australia’s John Waters round out the cast.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The Ohio State Buckeyes and Indiana Hooisers round out the top five.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of round
Noun
  • The gas can always be liquefied and exported around the world to an energy-needy globe.
    — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
  • For well-heeled, globe-trotting diners, Noma offered an escape from modernity and the sensation of communing with something more elemental and earthbound.
    — Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of globe
Noun
  • The polling failure will serve to give further ammunition to the Brazilian right and the Bolsonaro camp, which have long alleged that the nation's leading pollsters turn in work biased in favor of Lula and his Workers Party.
    — David Unsworth, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The robots deliver food, medicine and ammunition to frontline.
    — Greg Myre, NPR, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of ammunition
Noun
  • Maryuri Chavez Carranza Elder Chavez Carranza believed his last year of high school would consist of preparations for his graduation, prom and planning for his future.
    — Rebecca Gelpi-Ufret, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The music video, an homage to the prom night episode of Laguna Beach, opens with Morris, 36, and Cavallari getting ready for prom as Branch pulls up in a Mojito!
    — Jack Irvin, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of prom
Verb
  • Customers can do the treatment fully clothed as the water rolls under them, powered by a series of hydro-jets.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • All four appeared in good spirits as they were helped out of the capsule and rolled inside the ship on reclining chairs.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 8 Oct. 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 12 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ball

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