meatball

noun

meat·​ball ˈmēt-ˌbȯl How to pronounce meatball (audio)
: a small ball of chopped or ground meat often mixed with bread crumbs and spices

Examples of meatball 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.
Cranberry & Jalapeño Chicken Meatballs TJ’s has a whole flavor spectrum of these spongy, scrotal meatballs. — Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Oct. 2026 Today’s recipe Many meatballs are made with a panade, often a mixture of white bread soaked in milk, which lends moisture to the final meatballs. — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026 After baking to golden perfection, these savory treats make a delicious holiday twist on traditional meatball appetizers. — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Oct. 2026 From elaborate cocktail shrimp towers down to pigs in a blanket and grape jelly meatballs in slow cookers, these dishes are returning to our homes and our hearts. — Candy Hom, AJC.com, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for meatball

Word History

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of meatball was in 1856

Rhymes for meatball

See All Rhymes for meatball

Browse Nearby Words

meat-ax
meatball
meatbird
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Meatball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meatball. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

meatball

noun
meat·​ball -ˌbȯl How to pronounce meatball (audio)
: a small ball of chopped or ground meat
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All