# basketball

/ˈbæskətˌbɔɫ/ (US) · /bˈɑːskɪtbˌɔːl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/basketball
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. the sport

noun · CEFR A1

a game played by two teams of five players who try to score points by throwing a ball through a high net.

For teachers: an athletic team sport, typically played on an indoor court, where points are scored by shooting a ball through a high hoop. Uncountable in this sense.

- He plays basketball with his friends at the park every Saturday morning.
- Professional basketball requires a combination of explosive verticality, precise hand-eye coordination, and strategic spatial awareness during fast-break transitions.

### 2. the ball

noun · CEFR A1

the large, usually orange ball used to play the game of basketball.

For teachers: the spherical, inflated ball used in the sport of basketball, typically featuring a pebbled surface for grip. Countable in this sense.

- Can you pump some air into this basketball before we go to the court?
- The coach carried a mesh bag containing six brand-new basketballs, each still smelling of fresh rubber and synthetic leather.

### 3. to play the game

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to play the sport of basketball.

For teachers: to engage in the activity of playing basketball. Intransitive and informal in register.

- We spent the whole afternoon basketballing behind the school.
- After a long week of exams, the students spent their Friday evening basketballing at the local community centre to blow off steam.

### 4. to throw like a basketball

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to throw something using the same motion you use when shooting a basketball.

For teachers: to propel an object with a high, arching trajectory similar to a basketball shot.

- He crumpled the paper into a ball and basketballed it into the bin.
- She casually basketballed her car keys across the room, landing them perfectly in the small decorative bowl on the sideboard.

## Examples

- We play basketball every Friday at the local park.
- The school built a new outdoor court so more students could practice basketball during their lunch break.
- While professional basketball requires immense physical stamina and height, the sport's global popularity stems from its minimal equipment requirements and the ease of practicing individual shooting skills.

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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.