BALLS Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

balls 1 of 3

noun (1)

plural of ball

as in spheres

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in bullets

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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blanks

balls

2 of 3

noun (2)

plural of ball

as in dances

a social gathering for dancing a ball to celebrate the inauguration

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balls

3 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of ball

as in rounds

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 balls

Noun

Jansen then returned just before the break to strike twice in one over as Renshaw was caught at third slip and Alex Carey was caught behind for a duck two balls later. — ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026 From Burbank to West Covina, lines tend to form out the door at each of the chain’s locations, with patrons ordering boxes of their signature potato balls, cheese rolls and other pastries. — Ella Chakarian, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026 But doing that requires an enormous amount of control and precision—like trying to juggle 50 balls with your eyes closed during a hurricane. — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026 Use alternatives like vinegar for softness, and wool dryer balls for fluffiness and to reduce static. — Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2026 Social media videos of him hitting tennis balls and baseballs while listing his policy proposals have provided a font of online mockery. — Philip Elliott, Time, 19 Oct. 2026 Regardless, while the series might have had fluky components, between Milwaukee's fortunate luck on balls in play, runners in scoring position performance and pitching outcomes, the ultimate series result was anything but. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026 Depending on the machine and settings, that material ends up in a purge tower built alongside the print, or in a collection of little plastic doll's-house-looking spaghetti balls, affectionately known as printer poop. — New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026 For good air flow when drying heavy, bulky towels, Ceconi recommends using wool dryer balls. — Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 16 Oct. 2026

Verb

Bassey signs, Ike balls out An hour after the Warriors officially signed reserve center Charles Bassey to a one-year deal, Graham Ike did his best to show that the backup center position should still be considered in flux. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 10 July 2026 The second and third outs were called third strikes, both of them initially balls before All-Star catcher Realmuto challenged through the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS), or so called robot umpires, that will be used in the regular season for the first time this year. — CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026 Arrange dough balls 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. — Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Mar. 2026 Each team received their shipment of logo balls several weeks ago from the Wilson factory so that equipment managers would be able to properly prepare the footballs for their respective offenses. — Kristi Scales jan. 5, Dallas Morning News, 5 Jan. 2026 Place balls 3 inches apart on 3 large baking sheets lined with parchment paper (about 12 cookies per sheet). — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 27 Nov. 2025 Defense overall just balls Two. — Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for balls

Noun

That's the reason why a major trend in military spheres is to create counter-drone systems that are not only effective, but can be built cheaply and in vast numbers in a short time.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026
Soft jojoba spheres also provide a little physical exfoliation without the harsh scratchiness of traditional scrubs.

— Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of spheres

Noun

After riddling the vehicle with bullets and receiving backup from the 400 Mawozo gang, the gunmen set the vehicle on fire with an explosive device, several sources told the Herald.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026
Idaho is abundant in critical minerals like antimony, a mineral used in defense manufacturing for bullets, flame retardants, night vision goggles as well as consumer electronics, wind turbines, solar panels and more.

— Charlotte Hu, Time, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of bullets

Verb

Ant Design rounds out the Apex V2 with a few extra features, starting with a ruler marked in inches and millimeters on the chassis.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2026
Li rounds out 2026 with a third cash prize, $300,000 from the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, and further mentorship from industry experts.

— Alexandra Hildreth, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of rounds

Noun

An artillery crew soldier from the Separate Rifle Battalion of the National Police in the Zaporizhzhia region prepares shells for a 155-mm Bosnian M94 howitzer in a dugout during a combat mission in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, on October 15, 2026.

— Anastasiia Parafeniuk, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026
Older heated jackets were bulky outer shells meant to be seen.

— Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of shells

Noun

In addition to showing up everywhere, from festivals to parades and weddings to proms, the Wienermobile has also helped people, including Drew Barrymore, celebrate their birthdays over the decades with special stops made in their honor.

— Stacy Lambe, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026
Dunkin’ Prom, which funds alternative proms for teens who may have missed theirs for medical reasons and lastly, grants to customize hospital spaces to create joy.

— Zuri Primos June 29, Kansas City Star, 29 June 2026