basketball

noun

bas·​ket·​ball ˈba-skit-ˌbȯl How to pronounce basketball (audio)
often attributive
: a usually indoor court game between two teams of usually five players each who score by tossing an inflated ball through a raised goal
also : the ball used in this game

Examples of basketball 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.
Chip Souza joins Matt Jones on the desk for some Razorback football talk, then Anthony Kristensen calls in from the road to talk Arkansas basketball ahead of their season opener against Lipscomb on Wednesday. Anthony Kristensen, arkansasonline.com, 6 Nov. 2024 The 22-year-old basketball phenom sat in the stands for the Butler's men's basketball season opener in Indianapolis, Indiana on Mon. Natasha Dye, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024 The final step is placing any $5 wager on the NHL, college basketball or another sport. Tim Van Straten, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024 The same way a buzzer ends a basketball game, the new law will stop the clock on any pending legal challenges or appeals, recognizing the slates of electors officially chosen as of that date. The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for basketball 

Word History

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of basketball was in 1891

Dictionary Entries Near basketball

Cite this Entry

“Basketball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/basketball. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

basketball

noun
bas·​ket·​ball -ˌbȯl How to pronounce basketball (audio)
: a court game in which each of two teams tries to toss an inflated ball through a raised goal
also : the ball used in this game

More from Merriam-Webster on basketball

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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