lowball

verb

low·​ball ˈlō-ˌbȯl How to pronounce lowball (audio)
lowballed; lowballing; lowballs

transitive verb

1
: to give (a customer) a deceptively low price or cost estimate
2
: to give a markedly or unfairly low offer
lowballed him in contract negotiations
lowball noun

Examples of lowball in a Sentence

It became clear that the contractor had lowballed us on the cost of materials. Management lowballed him in contract negotiations.
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.
Keep an eye out for sketchy gigs, toxic clients, vague job descriptions, and clients who lowball your rates. Sho Dewan, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024 The files confirmed that the company was lowballing landowners; soon, Ona began to spread the word, including the extent of Panguna’s ecological destruction. Sean Williams, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024 Recruiters recently told Fortune potential employers will take advantage of panicking individuals and lowball them with salaries, or be concerned that the candidate is applying for a raft of jobs instead of roles they’re truly suited for. Byeleanor Pringle, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2024 This dynamic—in which markets lowball ambitious movies, and streaming platforms ply audiences with algorithmic chaff—leaves little room for both enthusiasm and good-faith challenges. Elena Saavedra Buckley, The New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lowball 

Word History

First Known Use

1957, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lowball was in 1957

Dictionary Entries Near lowball

Cite this Entry

“Lowball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lowball. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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