bowling

1 of 2

noun

bowl·​ing ˈbō-liŋ How to pronounce bowling (audio)
Synonyms of bowlingnext
: any of several games in which balls are rolled (as on a green or down an alley) at an object or group of objects

bowling

2 of 2

present participle of bowl entry 3

Examples of bowling in a Sentence

Noun She watches bowling on TV.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
In 2013, a group wanted to build a 72,000-square-foot entertainment center there with movie theaters, bowling and laser tag. — Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2026 The agents also played simplified sports, using a ring left on the island as a target to throw cubes in from a distance or setting up a rock to knock over cubes arranged like bowling pins. — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026 The only other change to the India lineup comes in the bowling attack where Prince Yadav replaces Mayank Yadav. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 That means swinging a Joy-Con controller to simulate using a tennis racket or tossing a bowling ball. — Andrew Webster, The Verge, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bowling

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bowling was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing bowling

Rhymes for bowling

See All Rhymes for bowling

Browse Nearby Words

bowline on a bight
bowling
bowling alley
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bowling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bowling. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

bowling

noun
bowl·​ing ˈbō-liŋ How to pronounce bowling (audio)
1
: a game played by rolling balls so as to knock down pins set up at the far end of an alley
2
: lawn bowling

More from Merriam-Webster on bowling

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for bowling

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bowling

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