ball 1 of 3

1
as in sphere
a more or less round body or mass the little rubber ball used in racquetball a ball of string

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2
as in bullet
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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ball

2 of 3

noun (2)

ball

3 of 3

verb

as in to round
to form into a round compact mass balled up the paper and threw it at the garbage can

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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
Noun
Trotter got the ball and scored with only 5 seconds off the clock. Cody Thorn, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Sep. 2025 Kraft caught the ball just 5 yards downfield and safety Will Harris had a chance to make an immediate tackle. Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
And Brickell, known for its clubsteraunts that cater to celebs and people who want to ball out, is one of those places that many locals only dine in when the budget allows. Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2025 Newly installed balled and burlapped plants need about 1 inch of water a week — be sure the root ball is getting watered. Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ball
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ball
Verb
  • Katherine LaNasa, Shawn Hatosy, Taylor Dearden, Patrick Ball, Isa Briones, Fiona Dourif, Supriya Ganesh, Shabana Azeez and Gerran Howell round out the ensemble cast.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The state saw a $673 billion increase from February 2020 to June, rounding out the total market value rankings in 10th place, below Illinois, Pennsylvania and the top states of California and New York.
    Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Departing from its 1905 depot like a moving postcard, the train follows the Toccoa River, passing sycamores and sourwoods, rolling hills, and farms along the way.
    Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Those involved in the parade rolled by in a colorful blur on roller skates, performed flag dances and wielded bubble makers.
    Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 8 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ball.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ball. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

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