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Definition of bowling

bowling

/ˈboʊ.lɪŋ/
bowl · ing
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bowling Lexical Profile

bowling Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A target sport and recreational activity in which a player rolls a heavy ball down a wooden or synthetic lane to knock down a triangular arrangement of pins, or rolls balls across a flat lawn toward a smaller target ball.

Example

"We went bowling on Friday night and competed to see who could score the most strikes."

2

In cricket, the act or skill of propelling the ball toward the wicket defended by a batter using a straight-arm delivery.

Example

"Their team's disciplined fast bowling restricted the opposition to a low total in the final innings."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for bowling

• Nearby Words

bowlegs
bowler
bowlful
bowling
bowllike
bowls
bowman

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed from the verb 'bowl' (from Old French 'boule', meaning 'ball', ultimately from Latin 'bulla', meaning 'bubble' or 'round object') combined with the suffix '-ing'.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Bowling. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/bowling
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