as in increases
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
the little problems we ignored began to snowball into huge headaches
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 snowballs
That metaphysical connection soon snowballs into a mounting existential threat when Mia (Sophie Wilde) allows her best friend's eager little brother to have one round with the hand, after which his body is never the same.
—
Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
Sometimes that snowballs for a defense.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2025
That then snowballs into a full-length feature Hollywood horror film.
—Aidin Vaziri, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Feb. 2022
Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
Sometimes that snowballs for a defense.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2025
That then snowballs into a full-length feature Hollywood horror film.
—Aidin Vaziri, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Feb. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snowballs
Verb
-
The translunar injection involves firing Orion's main engine, which increases the spacecraft's velocity to send it out of Earth orbit and toward the moon.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
With warmer weather heralding spring, the amount of outdoor activities significantly increases.—
Lesly Gregory,
AJC.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Massachusetts lawmaker is part of a growing chorus of voices in Washington calling for stronger oversight of these betting platforms as interest swells.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
4 Apr. 2026
-
His longing swells beyond love into obsession.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
What Happens Next Attention will now turn to labor negotiations, political response, and whether the transition timeline accelerates.—
Sam Stevenson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
-
When you’re fully submerged in the culture of your field’s epicenter, learning accelerates.—
Bill Gurley,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The imagery climbs to the ceiling, transforming a transitional space into a moment of theater.—
Andrew Sessa,
Robb Report,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The Wushan Goddess Elevator is 905 meters long, or nearly 3,000 feet, according to state media, and climbs the height of an 80-story building.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Snowballs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snowballs. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
