wrecking ball

noun

: a heavy iron or steel ball swung or dropped by a derrick to demolish old buildings

called also wrecker's ball

Examples of wrecking ball 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.
Just look at when the wrecking ball made contact in Season 1. Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 Apr. 2025 However, where industry sees reform others see a wrecking ball for the regulatory system that reined in the environmental and public health damage from mining. Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2025 The classic example of an injunction is a command to stop a party from using a wrecking ball to demolish a building during a dispute over property rights. Barbara McQuade, Twin Cities, 1 Apr. 2025 Courtenay Brown Feb 1, 2025 - Business Trump builds a tariff wall There is a wrecking ball coming for the norms of global trade. Courtenay Brown, Axios, 14 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wrecking ball

Word History

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wrecking ball was in 1924

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Cite this Entry

“Wrecking ball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wrecking%20ball. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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