snowballs

verb

present tense third-person singular of snowball
as in increases
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number the little problems we ignored began to snowball into huge headaches

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 snowballs Sometimes that snowballs for a defense. — Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2025 That then snowballs into a full-length feature Hollywood horror film. — Aidin Vaziri, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Feb. 2022 That metaphysical connection soon snowballs into a mounting existential threat when Mia (Sophie Wilde) allows her best friend's eager little brother to have one round with the hand, after which his body is never the same. — Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snowballs
  1. increases
  2. rises
  3. swells
  4. accelerates
  5. climbs
Verb
  • During pregnancy, iron demand increases to support both the baby and placenta, while postpartum recovery can further lower ferritin due to blood loss.
    — Tatiana Dias, Vogue, 30 June 2026
  • Beginning a section of rules with a short explanation about the rule’s purpose makes a more positive statement to the community, and hopefully increases community compliance and cooperation.
    — Kelly G. Richardson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 June 2026
Definition of increases
Verb
  • And by the 12th year, this number rises to $113,000, exceeding the median salary for graduate degree-holders in the state, according to the data released by the UC’s Institutional Research and Academic Planning department.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
  • Timeline Tuesday, July 7-Thursday, July 16The last-quarter moon rises around midnight on July 7, leaving the evening sky dark and beginning July’s best stargazing window.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of rises
Verb
  • Top officials appear as the crowd size swells Ayatollah Jafar Sobhani, a 97-year-old Shiite cleric, led the prayers at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla mosque for the late Khamenei and family members killed in the strike.
    — Nasser Karimi, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
  • Most people only hear about it when a lymph node swells during a cold, or when a social media video promises a gua sha stone will detox their face.
    — Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 29 June 2026
Definition of swells
Verb
  • That’s especially important for farmers because nitrogen fertilizers serve as a key nutrient for crops that accelerates growth and enhances yields during harvest, Sumner added.
    — Chase Hunter, Boston Herald, 6 July 2026
  • Chinese equipment manufacturer Zoomlion has unveiled five new-energy technology achievements spanning construction, mining, and agricultural machinery, as the company accelerates its shift toward low-emission heavy equipment.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
Definition of accelerates
Verb
  • The Future Nostalgia smash climbs on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • The girl's mother, Elizabeth Kale, said Cecelia climbs trees every day.
    — Kelli Arseneau, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Definition of climbs

Browse Nearby Words

snowballing
snowballs
snowbank
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Cite this Entry

“Snowballs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snowballs. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of snowballs for Spanish Speakers

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