noun
Uncommon
softball
Softball (noun) means a team sport similar to baseball, played with a larger, softer ball. Example: “She plays softball for her college team.”
noun
1
A team sport similar to baseball, played with a larger, softer ball.
"This will give you someone with whom you can trade softball complaints, which any veteran game-goer will tell you is the key to a good time."
— Andrew Heller, Come Heller High Water (1996)
"She plays softball for her college team."
"Our village team trains every Tuesday evening on the softball field."
"Softball is popular at the school because the ball is easier to catch."
2
An easy question or issue, posed so as not to challenge someone.
"The interviewer only threw him softballs."
"The first question was a softball that she answered without any trouble."
"Reporters complained that the panel lobbed softballs instead of asking anything difficult."
How to use softball
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the bat-and-ball sport, or, informally, an easy question meant to avoid controversy.
Common pairings
play softball
throw a softball question
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Word forms
- Plural
- softballs
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She plays _____ for her college team.
Etymology
Coined in 1926 from soft + ball, contrasting with the harder ball used in baseball ("hardball").
Class of 1926
softball joined the language around 1926.
See the full Class of 1926 →
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “softball” mean?
The word “softball” means a team sport similar to baseball, played with a larger, softer ball. In plain terms, either the bat-and-ball sport, or, informally, an easy question meant to avoid controversy.
How do you use “softball” in a sentence?
Here is “softball” used in a sentence: “She plays softball for her college team.”
What is another word for “softball”?
Words with a similar meaning to “softball” include diamond ball, indoor baseball, kittenball, mush ball, playground ball and pumpkin ball.
What part of speech is “softball”?
“Softball” is a noun.
Where does the word “softball” come from?
The word “softball” dates back to around 1926. Coined in 1926 from soft + ball, contrasting with the harder ball used in baseball ("hardball").
Is “softball” a common word?
“Softball” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “softball” have?
“Softball” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a team sport similar to baseball, played with a larger, softer ball.
What is the difference between softball and baseball?
Softball is a team sport similar to baseball but played with a larger, softer ball, typically on a smaller field with underhand pitching. Baseball uses a smaller, harder ball and overhand pitching.
What does it mean to ask someone a "softball question"?
A softball question is an easy question posed so as not to challenge or embarrass the person answering, often used in interviews or debates to contrast with tougher "hardball" questions.
Why is an easy question called a "softball"?
The term borrows from the sport, where a softball is larger and easier to hit than a baseball, so a "softball question" is figuratively easier to field than a difficult or probing one.
