BALLS Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

balls 1 of 3

noun (1)

plural of ball

as in spheres

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

as in bullets

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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blanks

balls

2 of 3

noun (2)

plural of ball

as in dances

a social gathering for dancing a ball to celebrate the inauguration

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balls

3 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of ball

as in rounds

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 balls

Noun

Repetitive motifs in various shapes were her trademark, resembling netting, swirls or worms, but most often dots, dancing proudly on her canvases or as sparkling balls or dots of light in her installations in all their vibrant, psychedelic glory. — Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 Sure, both signal callers struggled with bad reads, yet a few dropped balls and mental mistakes yielded a total of just 37 offensive plays. — Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026 Customers will be happy to know that the bestseller coyote balls will still be on the menu. — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2026 For just the eighth time in history, a side won a Test in England with fewer than 1,000 balls bowled. — Ben Jones aug. 26, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 Divide the dough balls between the two prepared sheet pans, spacing them about 2 inches apart. — ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026 Best kids soccer balls This ball is machine-stitched using a durable plastic outer layer with a poly/cotton lining. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026

Verb

Bassey signs, Ike balls out An hour after the Warriors officially signed reserve center Charles Bassey to a one-year deal, Graham Ike did his best to show that the backup center position should still be considered in flux. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 10 July 2026 The second and third outs were called third strikes, both of them initially balls before All-Star catcher Realmuto challenged through the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS), or so called robot umpires, that will be used in the regular season for the first time this year. — CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026 Arrange dough balls 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. — Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Mar. 2026 Each team received their shipment of logo balls several weeks ago from the Wilson factory so that equipment managers would be able to properly prepare the footballs for their respective offenses. — Kristi Scales jan. 5, Dallas Morning News, 5 Jan. 2026 Place balls 3 inches apart on 3 large baking sheets lined with parchment paper (about 12 cookies per sheet). — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 27 Nov. 2025 Defense overall just balls Two. — Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for balls

Noun

This separating of spheres feels particularly crucial given the embarrassment surrounding NFTs that still lingers among many art professionals.

— Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 17 Aug. 2026
As the perfumery acknowledges, these collaborations allow the brand to gain exposure in other creative spheres while also creating a product that is reflective of both specialties.

— Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of spheres

Noun

In June, Wior’s firm raised $200 million, in a round led by Smash Capital, on the strength of its Bullfrog platform, which can respond to a drone threat in seconds by shooting them out of the sky with bullets.

— Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026
Whereas these modern-style copper bullets — the next iteration — and there are several different manufacturers.

— Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of bullets

Noun

Seats were placed around the circle for visitors to witness firsthand the ancient drumming, chants, and intertribal dances carried by the wind and heard nearly two miles away, at the lakefront’s Geo-Karis State Park.

— Gregory Harutunian, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
The crowd points their phones at the pair, who are alternating between short dances, rhythmic movements, and striking poses.

— Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of dances

Verb

Suraksha Subramaniam rounds out the founding team, overseeing legal and IP compliance.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 24 Aug. 2026
Greece's largest island, Crete, takes fourth spot, offering holidaymakers eight hours of daily sunshine, while across the Mediterranean, Malta rounds out the top five—providing warm sea and air temperatures late into the season.

— Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of rounds

Noun

In another Amsterdam photo, a pair of identical world globes, recalling Ghirri’s passion for cartography and atlases, rest on matching supports to conjure that oldest of surrealist tropes, a pair of staring eyes.

— James Quandt, Artforum, 2 June 2026
Besides dusting, this includes wiping off the lightbulbs, removing any light globes to wash and dry them, and wiping dust from the fan’s motor and pull chain with a microfiber cloth.

— Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 May 2026

Definition of globes

Noun

The secondary usually consists of two-high safety shells pre-snap, rotating a safety down post-snap to confuse the quarterback and counter play action.

— Gladys Louise Tyler, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Cindy said the icing process is time consuming, especially since the egg shells need to be crushed and dehydrated.

— Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of shells

Noun

In addition to showing up everywhere, from festivals to parades and weddings to proms, the Wienermobile has also helped people, including Drew Barrymore, celebrate their birthdays over the decades with special stops made in their honor.

— Stacy Lambe, PEOPLE, 31 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 proms

Verb

With the confidence of its fabulous freshmen soaring, USC rolls through Washington at home.

— Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
The restaurant serves nigiri (like garlic ponzu salmon and sea bream with yuzu pepper), standard sushi rolls (for example, Philadelphia rolls and spicy tuna rolls), gunkan and hand rolls.

— Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 20 Aug. 2026