airball

1 of 2

verb

air·​ball ˈer-ˌbȯl How to pronounce airball (audio)
variants or air-ball
airballed or air-balled; airballing or air-balling; airballs or air-balls

transitive + intransitive

US, basketball
: to completely miss the rim and backboard with a shot : to shoot an air ball
Fesenko … badly airballed a free throw in the first quarter.—Ross Siler

air ball

2 of 2

noun

variants or airball
ˈer-ˌbȯl How to pronounce air ball (audio)
plural air balls or airballs
US, basketball
: a shot that completely misses the rim and backboard

Examples of airball in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
If the ball is spinning, the tiny air balls don’t just bounce off; they also get dragged along in the direction of rotation. — Rhett Allain, Wired News, 13 June 2026 But the deep stepback three didn’t even reach the front of the rim, resulting in an air ball that landed out of bounds and gave possession back to the Trail Blazers late in a close game. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 9 Nov. 2025 From forcing multiple air balls and shot-clock violations, Baylor had no answer for TCU’s defense. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Mar. 2026 Silver will probably address the new All-Star Game format, after admitting that the 2025 rework was an air ball. — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for airball

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1966, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1966, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of airball was in 1966

Rhymes for airball

See All Rhymes for airball

Browse Nearby Words

airbag
airball
air ball
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Airball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airball. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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