ball games

noun

plural of ball game
1
as in rivalries
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another I'm still in this ball game, so don't count me out yet

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in situations
position with regard to conditions and circumstances with the new regulations in place, investors are facing a whole new ball game

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 games Log temples atop the mounds overlooked wide plazas for ball games, ceremonies, and open-air markets. — ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026 Stop by the visitor center to check out volleyballs, basketballs, Frisbees, cornhole sets, baseballs and bats, or ladder ball games. — Taryn Shorr-McKee, Midwest Living, 4 June 2026 In addition to the 100-plus food vendors, there are also retail vendors, bungee jumping trampolines and giant inflatable water ball games. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 May 2026 Set the scene Arriving here at golden hour, past a paddock of horses and a wildflower field in which children are playing ball games, feels impossibly idyllic. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026 The two fans each have enough battery life to last through outdoor activities like ball games and day trips to Disney, or to keep you cool during a long car ride or a medium-length flight. — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 18 Apr. 2026 In addition to the youth ball games, the family visited some spring-training ballparks, including the one in Surprise, Arizona, where the Royals train. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 10 Mar. 2026 At least not as long as the Knicks are winning ball games. — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2026 From sports and ball games to jewelry-making and creative workshops, there is something to delight every child. — Amy Louise Bailey, Travel + Leisure, 1 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ball games
  1. rivalries
  2. situations
  3. battles
  4. deals
  5. struggles
  6. pictures
  7. competitions
  8. duels
Noun
  • Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants John Harbaugh makes his Big Blue debut in one of the league’s oldest rivalries.
    — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Against a backdrop of hedonistic parties, Bonfire Night chaos, the Hampshire Hunt Ball and a turbulent Christmas, affairs unravel, alliances fracture and rivalries intensify.
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of rivalries
Noun
  • Even the captions are becoming otherworldly, posing impossible situations.
    — Owen Carry, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
  • But Joshi says mental health care is often treated as an afterthought in disaster situations, and resources can get pulled before people have fully made sense of the trauma.
    — Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of situations
Noun
  • The Wolves hadn’t won many free agent battles against big-market teams like this before.
    — Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Bonino said that during their conversations Francis always encouraged her to bring forward her humanitarian battles, defending those most in need.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of battles
Noun
  • Similarly the Rodon, (Jayden) Bogle, Aaronson deals — all those guys took months to finish.
    — Beren Cross, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Mubadala has invested more than $20 billion in China across more than 100 deals since 2015.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of deals
Noun
  • New quarterback Rocco Becht threw for 271 yards and four touchdowns in his debut as Penn State had two passes over 40 yards and 14 over 10 yards, a massive improvement from the struggles in previous years.
    — The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • But Mora emphasizes that the largest number of drone reports come from within Mexico, particularly in the state of Sinaloa, amid the internal struggles of the powerful cartel that operates there.
    — Sol Amaya, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of struggles
Noun
  • Lux is drawn back to the old pictures and voice notes on his phone, while Mille stares at the WhatsApp chat with her sister as if waiting for a response.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The Beloved Pets Ofrenda had nearly 2,000 pictures of pets on display last year, Barreiro says.
    — Yvonne Villasenor, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of pictures
Noun
  • The Wales international made 53 appearances in all competitions last season and has started both of Forest’s opening two Premier League games this term.
    — Paul Taylor, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Su, remarkably skilled at intensifying the flavors of a single fruit or vegetable in a drink of many elements, had a knack for winning national cocktail competitions.
    — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of competitions
Noun
  • Forest have generally been solid, with only Manchester City (61 per cent) and Sunderland (57 per cent) winning a higher share of aerial duels than their 56 per cent.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Cherry went 74 minutes in Sunday’s loss to Racing Louisville, recording four defensive clearances and winning three of her four aerial duels as Angel City lost for the first time in four games.
    — Damian Calhoun, Daily News, 31 July 2026
Definition of duels

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ball game
ball games
balling
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Cite this Entry

“Ball games.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ball%20games. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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