ball games

noun

plural of ball game
1
as in rivalries
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another I'm still in this ball game, so don't count me out yet

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in situations
position with regard to conditions and circumstances with the new regulations in place, investors are facing a whole new ball game

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 ball games Log temples atop the mounds overlooked wide plazas for ball games, ceremonies, and open-air markets. — ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026 Stop by the visitor center to check out volleyballs, basketballs, Frisbees, cornhole sets, baseballs and bats, or ladder ball games. — Taryn Shorr-McKee, Midwest Living, 4 June 2026 In addition to the 100-plus food vendors, there are also retail vendors, bungee jumping trampolines and giant inflatable water ball games. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 May 2026 Set the scene Arriving here at golden hour, past a paddock of horses and a wildflower field in which children are playing ball games, feels impossibly idyllic. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026 The two fans each have enough battery life to last through outdoor activities like ball games and day trips to Disney, or to keep you cool during a long car ride or a medium-length flight. — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 18 Apr. 2026 In addition to the youth ball games, the family visited some spring-training ballparks, including the one in Surprise, Arizona, where the Royals train. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 10 Mar. 2026 At least not as long as the Knicks are winning ball games. — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2026 From sports and ball games to jewelry-making and creative workshops, there is something to delight every child. — Amy Louise Bailey, Travel + Leisure, 1 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ball games
  1. rivalries
  2. situations
  3. battles
  4. deals
  5. struggles
  6. pictures
  7. competitions
  8. duels
Noun
  • North Dakota State’s move to the FBS has created excitement about new opponents, rivalries and possibilities.
    — Manny Navarro, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Just as their own fictions bend and weave tales, so too do their own lives and rivalries.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of rivalries
Noun
  • He’s gotten out of every jam so far, and has become the Mets’ favorite arm in late-inning situations with runners on base.
    — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Then there’s freshman linebacker Aydan Steen, who contributed two huge tackles in the second half in critical situations.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of situations
Noun
  • The policy updates come amid the slew of ongoing legal battles by players who were originally part of the 2022 high school recruiting class seeking a fifth year of collegiate eligibility.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Then came battles with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Social Security Administration and the Internal Revenue Service.
    — Sam Gringlas, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of battles
Noun
  • Act fast to snag these $20-and-under deals before the long weekend is through.
    — Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Shop more outlet deals below, including an elegant candleholder, a luxe ottoman, and slim patio sofa.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of deals
Noun
  • The criticism instead centers on the significant advantages that enormous family wealth can provide, including time, training and the freedom to pursue a creative career without the financial struggles many developing artists face.
    — Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Isaiah explains that sharing their pregnancy losses and fertility struggles publicly felt like their purpose.
    — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of struggles
Noun
  • Starting in the 1930s, as talking pictures and then radio and TV supplanted theater as the prime form of mass entertainment, some were converted to cinemas.
    — Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026
  • And, apparently, the eerie pictures are turning people's stomachs.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of pictures
Noun
  • Both teams got their last live looks at their respective competitions for the backup QB job — behind Tyler Shough in New Orleans and Dallas' Dak Prescott.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The draw for the Doubles competitions will be held on September 1.
    — Jason Cohen, PC Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of competitions
Noun
  • By that point, Hull had won almost twice as many duels as United and were also winning the game.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Cherry went 74 minutes in Sunday’s loss to Racing Louisville, recording four defensive clearances and winning three of her four aerial duels as Angel City lost for the first time in four games.
    — Damian Calhoun, Daily News, 31 July 2026
Definition of duels

Browse Nearby Words

ball game
ball games
balling
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Cite this Entry

“Ball games.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ball%20games. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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