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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ball games
After approval from church leadership, chairwoman Lisa Stocco infused the event with more than 20 Gophers football players serving as guest pitchers and coaches for the event’s centerpiece whiffle ball games.
—
Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
There have been 74 pitchers who have started at least 440 ball games since 1920, and Kershaw is the only one who hasn’t surpassed triple-digit losses according to Baseball-Reference.
—Wayne G. McDonnell, Forbes.com, 20 Sep. 2025
To start, there are no bicycles or ball games, no mirrors larger than the palm of one’s hand, and almost no personal property.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2025
Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
There have been 74 pitchers who have started at least 440 ball games since 1920, and Kershaw is the only one who hasn’t surpassed triple-digit losses according to Baseball-Reference.
—Wayne G. McDonnell, Forbes.com, 20 Sep. 2025
To start, there are no bicycles or ball games, no mirrors larger than the palm of one’s hand, and almost no personal property.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ball games
Noun
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Few crosstown rivalries can compare to the one Hingham and Notre Dame Academy have developed the past few decades.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
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The history of contemporary music is littered with hundreds of rivalries both amicable and otherwise.—
Jason Newman,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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In many of these situations so far, neither state actors nor health care systems or providers want to shoulder responsibility.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
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The ruling left little hope for legal relief for Khan or for any Pakistani citizens who find themselves ensnared in similar situations.—
Rafia Zakaria,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Nor are the ongoing battles to comply with rules both at home and abroad.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
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The court battles that followed won the tribe a crucial gaming compact, and the ability to buy the land that would become home to Sky River Casino.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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To offer more deals, and earlier in the season.—
Phil Wahba,
Fortune,
7 Nov. 2025
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Credit-rating agencies saw richer locales as very likely to repay their debts and gave them sweet deals on interest rates, which meant that these towns owed less to those who’d bought their bonds.—
Michael Waters,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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But behind closed doors, the then-couple were facing marital struggles, as Betty claimed in her 2015 memoir, Telling On Myself.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
9 Nov. 2025
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The struggles of being a parent and the struggles of your child are so understandably private.—
Rosemary Rossi,
Variety,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
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For the rest of her images, Kardashian modeled the see-through lace dress in various parts of the island paradise, also including some pictures that were just part of the scenery.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
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Like William Klein’s pictures, Roversi’s incorporate accidents, light flares, blur, even damage.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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While he was banned from major competitions, Gorst traveled around the US playing smaller regional events that didn’t fall under pool’s international governing rules.—
Jeremy Herb,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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The three-day event features million-dollar rodeo competitions each evening before the concerts.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The return from injury of Gravenberch, who won six of his eight duels, was another welcome sight, along with Alexis Mac Allister completing 90 minutes for Liverpool for the first time since April.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
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Much like the classic Tom Brady-Peyton Manning duels of old, the quarterback matchup between Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen — the two current MVP frontrunners — is can’t-miss television.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ball games.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ball%20games. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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