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snowball

1 synonyms and 0 antonyms for snowball, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A ball made of packed snow, often thrown for fun.

Synonyms

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

sweet sand verbena

How to use snowball

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

throw a snowball snowball effect debt snowballed

Etymology

A straightforward compound of "snow" and "ball," dating back to Middle English.

Full origin of snowball →

Frequently asked questions

What does “snowball” mean?

The word “snowball” means a ball made of packed snow, often thrown for fun. In plain terms, literally a ball of packed snow; figuratively, something that keeps growing rapidly, like debt or a rumor rolling downhill.

How do you pronounce “snowball”?

“Snowball” is pronounced SNOH-bawl (/ˈsnoʊbɔl/ in IPA).

How do you use “snowball” in a sentence?

Here is “snowball” used in a sentence: “She packed a snowball and hit her brother square in the back.”

What part of speech is “snowball”?

Depending on how it is used, “snowball” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “snowball” come from?

The word “snowball” comes from Middle English. A straightforward compound of "snow" and "ball," dating back to Middle English.

Is “snowball” a common word?

“Snowball” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “snowball” have?

“Snowball” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a ball made of packed snow, often thrown for fun.

Nearby words

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Synonyms and antonyms from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.