base on balls

noun phrase

: an advance to first base awarded a baseball player who during a turn at bat takes four pitches that are balls : walk entry 2 sense 6

Examples of base on balls 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.
This was the backdrop when Williams, hitting third behind Dom DiMaggio and Johnny Pesky, ahead of Hall of Famer Bobby Doerr, stepped in against Spahn in the first inning and used his legendary eye to work a base on balls. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 13 Apr. 2024 In the scorebook, a walk is denoted by the letters 'BB,' which stands for base on balls. USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2024 Toeing the rubber at Camden Yards for the first time since April 13, 2022, Means allowed the first three batters of the frame to reach base on balls hit softer than 75 mph, a string of bad luck that can often spiral into more misfortune. Jacob Calvin Meyer, Baltimore Sun, 13 Sep. 2023 The first time was intentional, his major league-leading 16th intentional base on balls this season. Helene Elliott, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2023 De La Cruz's base on balls in the 1st loaded the bases. Dave Clark, The Enquirer, 7 June 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of base on balls was in 1891

Dictionary Entries Near base on balls

Cite this Entry

“Base on balls.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/base%20on%20balls. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

base on balls

: an advance to first base given to a baseball batter who takes four pitches that are balls

More from Merriam-Webster on base on balls

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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