tetherball

noun

teth·​er·​ball ˈte-t͟hər-ˌbȯl How to pronounce tetherball (audio)
: a game played with a ball suspended by a string from an upright pole in which the object is to wrap the string around the pole by striking the ball in a direction opposite to that of one's opponent
also : the ball used in this game

Examples of tetherball in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Its 14 wooded acres are peppered with tall, skinny pines and vestiges of its past life: a creaky seesaw here, a tetherball pole there. Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2024 Soccer balls were being kicked, basketballs were being dribbled, tetherballs were being socked. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024 The sheriff’s office said Maximus was later discovered with a rope from a tetherball pole around his neck. David Chiu, Peoplemag, 2 Nov. 2023 The partners also hope to utilize the rest of the property and add shuffleboard, tetherball and other sports. Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 31 Mar. 2023 Eventually, grandma returns, Pedro is elected class president thanks in part to Napoleon's sweet dance moves, Kip and LaFawnDuh get married and ride off together, Uncle Rico breaks his arm and Napoleon goes back to playing tetherball with Deb. Rae Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 26 Jan. 2023 In the coming months, Charly’s will add games like tetherball and corn hole to a courtyard area connected to the restaurant’s deck. Amanda Yeager, Baltimore Sun, 5 Oct. 2022 And there’s a play area packed with games and even a tetherball court. Charles Passy, WSJ, 28 July 2022 Wildcoast has also used tires and other materials retrieved from the boom to build a nearby playground with swings, tetherball courts and a small soccer field. San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tetherball was in 1897

Dictionary Entries Near tetherball

Cite this Entry

“Tetherball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tetherball. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

tetherball

noun
teth·​er·​ball ˈtet͟h-ər-ˌbȯl How to pronounce tetherball (audio)
: a game played with a ball suspended by a string from an upright pole in which the object is to wrap the string around the pole by striking the ball in a direction opposite to that of one's opponent
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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