as in increased
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
the little problems we ignored began to snowball into huge headaches
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Recent Examples of snowballed
Then Yuki Matsui tweaked his groin in spring training, some soft contact snowballed on Adrián Morejón and Estrada began losing zip on his fastball.
—
Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2026
They were considered a distant contender as the eighth championship favorite — before the injuries snowballed and created this predicament.
—Douglas Kezirian, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2026
On the other end, James missed consecutive free throws, which snowballed when Flagg followed with a jumper to push Dallas’ advantage back to 10 points.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 6 Apr. 2026
That energy on both ends of the court had snowballed.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Once the wine was bottled, things snowballed rather quickly.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 22 Mar. 2026
After that, Adams' troubles snowballed quickly.
—Beth Warren, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Mar. 2026
This means that more people will have to pay, while interest has snowballed, even for those with hefty monthly repayments.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 1 Mar. 2026
His detention marks the latest extraordinary development in the yearslong controversy over his ties to Epstein, which has shredded his reputation and snowballed into the royals’ biggest crisis since the death of Princess Diana in 1997.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2026
They were considered a distant contender as the eighth championship favorite — before the injuries snowballed and created this predicament.
—Douglas Kezirian, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2026
On the other end, James missed consecutive free throws, which snowballed when Flagg followed with a jumper to push Dallas’ advantage back to 10 points.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 6 Apr. 2026
That energy on both ends of the court had snowballed.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Once the wine was bottled, things snowballed rather quickly.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 22 Mar. 2026
After that, Adams' troubles snowballed quickly.
—Beth Warren, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Mar. 2026
This means that more people will have to pay, while interest has snowballed, even for those with hefty monthly repayments.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 1 Mar. 2026
His detention marks the latest extraordinary development in the yearslong controversy over his ties to Epstein, which has shredded his reputation and snowballed into the royals’ biggest crisis since the death of Princess Diana in 1997.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snowballed
Verb
-
On the other hand, planting the wrong neighbors next to garlic can lead to altered flavors, stunted growth, increased susceptibility to pests, and decreased production.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Apr. 2026
-
But having one of the game’s fastest players start at second base in the bottom of the 10th gave the Cubs an advantage, which increased after Caleb Thielbar pitched a scoreless top of the 10th.—
Andy Martinez,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In 2024, the value of Asymmetric’s liquid book swelled from roughly $195 million to $395 million, a person familiar with the firm’s finances told Fortune.—
Jack Kubinec,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The Cybertruck’s angular design was divisive, and the attention-grabbing vehicle occasionally became the target of ridicule and vandalism when a backlash against Musk swelled last year.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Aromatic garlic deters many rose pests, including aphids, spider mites, Japanese beetles, and deer.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The away fans rose to salute their team with warm applause and chants of support.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At Cedarvale Winery in Logan Township, New Jersey, fourth-generation farmer Ed Gaventa said early warmth has also accelerated growth in his vineyards — raising concerns as temperatures drop.—
Eva Andersen,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
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With the 20-shop agreement, RBH qualifies for the brand’s 50/50 Large Area Developer Incentive Program, an initiative designed to support franchise partners committed to accelerated and multi-unit growth.—
Jessica Alvarado Gamez,
Denver Post,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Most eateries have expanded outdoor seating.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The candy’s original logo had three balloons to represent Airheads' first three flavors — cherry, watermelon and strawberry — but as the company expanded the varieties, it was changed to a balloon mascot, known as Oscar.—
Erin Clements,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Snowballed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snowballed. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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