What does "handball" mean?
A team sport where two teams of seven players each (six players and a goalkeeper) pass and bounce a ball trying to throw it in the goal of the opposing team.
Handball
noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·2 syllables ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A team sport where two teams of seven players each (six players and a goalkeeper) pass and bounce a ball trying to throw it in the goal of the opposing team.
- Grammar: handball is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: ball, battledore, bingo, checkers.
- Useful contrasts: abstain, basketball, kick.
- Usage evidence: A group of young men are playing handball in the playground.
How to use "handball"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "handball" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "handball" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "handball" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "handball" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "handball" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ball" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "handball", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A team sport where two teams of seven players each (six players and a goalkeeper) pass and bounce a ball trying to throw it in the goal of the opposing team. uncountable
- 2 a game played in a walled court or against a single wall by two or four players who strike a rubber ball with their hands wordnet
- 3 The medium-sized inflated ball used in this sport. countable
- 4 a small rubber ball used in playing the game of handball wordnet
- 5 The offence of a player other than the goalkeeper touching the ball with the hand or arm on the field during play. countable
"It was a dramatic finish to an absorbing, fast-paced game but Blackburn will be deeply unhappy with referee Anthony Taylor as Nzonzi's handball was harsh."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 A sport in which players alternately strike the ball against a wall with their hand. Irish and American variants have slightly different rules. Ireland, US, uncountable
- 7 The small rubber ball used in this sport. US, countable
- 8 An act of passing a football by holding it with one hand and hitting it with the other. countable
- 9 A schoolyard game in which a tennis ball is struck with the hand, played on an improvised court on the asphalt or pavement. Australia, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To manually load or unload a container, trailer, or to otherwise manually move bulk goods (often on pallets) from one type of transport receptacle to another. transitive
- 2 To illegally touch the ball with the hand or arm.
"If the defender handballs in the penalty area, a penalty is awarded."
- 3 To (legally) pass a football by holding it with one hand and hitting it with the other.
"Meanwhile, you can introduce the basic concept of Aussie rules through a game like lineball, a lead-up game introduced in the basketball section of chapter 10, but with the ball handballed, not thrown."
- 4 To insert a hand into someone's anus. slang
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"A group of young men are playing handball in the playground."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "handball"?
Common synonyms include: ball, battledore, bingo, checkers, chess, chewing gum.
How do you use "handball" in a sentence?
A group of young men are playing handball in the playground.
Etymology
From hand + ball.