bowling

1 of 2

noun

bowl·​ing ˈbō-liŋ How to pronounce bowling (audio)
Synonyms of bowlingnext
: any of several games in which balls are rolled (as on a green or down an alley) at an object or group of objects

bowling

2 of 2

present participle of bowl entry 3

Examples of bowling in a Sentence

Noun She watches bowling on TV.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Malls, once anchored by department stores, are reinventing themselves as experience hubs—think escape rooms, arcades and bowling alleys, with small commerce areas tucked in alongside. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026 On the one hand, this is somehow worse for Pakistan than first felt, collapsing twice against bowling that was simply solid, rather than exceptional. — Ben Jones, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 India have left out left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav for spin-bowling allrounder Saransh Jain, who is also playing in his first test. — ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026 This Calvin Klein bowling bag looks sophisticated and modern, but as Gregory explained, it could easily be dressed down with jeans and a tee. — Anna Traver, InStyle, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bowling

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bowling was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing bowling

Rhymes for bowling

See All Rhymes for bowling

Browse Nearby Words

bowline on a bight
bowling
bowling alley
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bowling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bowling. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

bowling

noun
bowl·​ing ˈbō-liŋ How to pronounce bowling (audio)
1
: a game played by rolling balls so as to knock down pins set up at the far end of an alley
2
: lawn bowling

More from Merriam-Webster on bowling

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for bowling

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bowling

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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