softball

noun

soft·​ball ˈsȯf(t)-ˌbȯl 

1

: a sport similar to baseball played on a small diamond with a ball that is larger than a baseball and that is pitched underhand

also : the ball used in this game

2

: a question requiring only an easy or simple response

softballer

ˈsȯf(t)-ˌbȯ-lər 

noun

Examples of softball in a Sentence

Do you want to play softball?

All the questions in the interview were softballs.

Recent Examples on the Web

The family was returning home from a weekend softball tournament in Dallas when Michael Anthony Arguijo, 46, allegedly drove his Ford F-150 truck the wrong way on the freeway, into oncoming traffic, according to a press release from the Houston Police Department. —Lesley Cosme Torres, People.com, 26 Mar. 2025

The Sooners have won six gymnastics national titles in the past 11 years and softball championships in each of the past four seasons. —Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 26 Mar. 2025

Other Lake County youth groups, such as lacrosse teams and Lake Zurich softball, use The Den. —Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2025

Here’s last week’s top 20 softball rankings courtesy CalHiSports.com. —Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for softball

• aldol
• armhole
• atoll
• awol
• backhaul
• banal
• baseball
• befall
• cabal
• catchall
• cecal
• centrale

Kids Definition

softball

noun

soft·​ball ˈsȯf(t)-ˌbȯl 

: baseball played on a small diamond with a ball that is larger than a baseball and that is pitched underhand

also : the ball used in this game