basketball

noun

bas·​ket·​ball ˈba-skit-ˌbȯl 

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

Keller girls basketball coach Kate Goldberg shared a moment with her former star before the game and previously had gushed about her work ethic and mentality. —Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Mar. 2026

For more about college basketball, head over to Newsweek Sports. —Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026

Hosting the biggest weekend in college basketball would be ideal, Orr and Wood of Sacramento State said, a goal shared by Visit Sacramento. —Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026

Guard Jeremiah Wilkinson is the latest member of Georgia’s basketball team to make his plans known. —Connor Riley, AJC.com, 30 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing basketball

• fantasy football/baseball/basketball

Rhymes for basketball

• aerosol
• alcohol
• arbitral
• butanol
• cannonball
• carbinol
• catarrhal
• cortisol
• ethanol
• fireball
• gasohol
• guaiacol

Kids Definition

basketball

noun

bas·​ket·​ball -ˌbȯl 

: 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