Baseball: meaning, definitions and examples

General term for the sport played with a bat and ball, typically played outdoors on a diamond-shaped field.

• I love to watch baseball games on weekends.
• He plays baseball with his friends every summer.

Can refer to any game involving a ball, but is often used colloquially to refer to a baseball game.

• We have tickets to the ballgame tonight.
• The ballgame was postponed due to rain.

A variant of baseball with a larger ball that is typically played on a smaller field, often considered less intense than hardball.

• She joined a local softball league for fun.
• Softball is often played in schools as a safer alternative to baseball.

Specifically refers to the standard form of baseball, as opposed to softball. Also used metaphorically to describe tough or aggressive behavior.

• He prefers to play hardball rather than softball.
• In negotiations, sometimes you have to play hardball to get what you want.

Utilized specifically to refer to the sport or the ball used in this game. Often mentioned in sports contexts or conversations about hobbies.

• He enjoys playing baseball on the weekends.
• The baseball game starts at 7 PM.

A general term for a round object used in various sports and games. Commonly mentioned in casual conversations about any kind of sport or recreational activity.

• The kids are playing with a ball in the backyard.
• Can you throw me the ball?

A scientific or mathematical term referring to a perfectly round geometrical object. Commonly used in educational or technical contexts.

• A sphere has all points at an equal distance from its center.
• In geometry class, we learned about the properties of a sphere.

A term often associated with spheres in a more poetic or dramatic context, sometimes used in literature or descriptions of celestial bodies and mystical objects.

• The wizard gazed into the glowing orb.
• An orb of light appeared in the night sky.

Use when referring to the sport itself, a specific event involving the sport, or equipment related to the sport.

• Baseball is very popular in the United States.
• Do you want to watch the baseball game tonight?

Use when referring to a successful strike of the ball by the batter, allowing them to run to at least first base.

• She got a hit every time she was at bat.

Use when referring to a hit in baseball where the batter reaches first base safely.

• He managed to get a single in his last at-bat.

Use when talking about a hit in baseball where the batter reaches second base safely.

• He hit a double in the third inning.