# ball up

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ball-up
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to squeeze or fold something into the shape of a small round ball.

For teachers: to compress a flexible material, typically paper or fabric, into a spherical shape; can also describe a person curling their body or hands into a tight, rounded position.

## Examples

- He balls up the paper and throws it away.
- She was so frustrated that she balled up her fists and took a deep breath.
- The artist would ball up his sketches and toss them into the corner whenever he felt his creative vision was failing him.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He balled the paper up it." but "He balled the paper up." — when using a pronoun like 'it', it must come between the verb and the particle or after the particle, but you cannot repeat the object.

## Usage notes

- usually used with materials like paper, cloth, or parts of the body like fists.
- Teaching tip: this is a highly visual verb; you can demonstrate it with a piece of scrap paper to help students remember the physical action.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.