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.
Brandon played football, basketball and baseball in high school and was a sprinter and long jumper on the track team, too. Adam England, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025 The 6-2, 185-pound senior basketball standout from Atlanta’s Overtime Elite program announced his commitment to the Jayhawks on Sunday afternoon. Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2025 Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum released footage Saturday night of himself going through a basketball workout about 4 1/2 months after tearing his Achilles tendon. Jay King, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025 Others in the front office like Heat president Pat Riley, assistant general manager Adam Simon and senior director of basketball operations Dave Beyer took on more responsibilities to fill in for Elisburg during the early stages of the offseason. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 28 Sep. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Basketball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/basketball. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.

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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