What does "lowball" mean?
The position of the ball on an American railroad ball signal that indicated Stop.
Lowball
adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The position of the ball on an American railroad ball signal that indicated Stop.
- Grammar: lowball is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: minimum score, underbid, underbidding, underbids.
- Useful contrasts: highball.
- Usage evidence: In April, NASA selected SpaceX to build the lunar lander for the Artemis program, thanks in part to a lowball $2.9 billion bid.
How to use "lowball"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "lowball" 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 "lowball" 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 "lowball" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "lowball" 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 "lowball" is acting as adj, noun, verb 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 "minimum score" 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 "lowball", 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 The position of the ball on an American railroad ball signal that indicated Stop.
- 2 A form of poker in which the lowest-ranking poker hand wins the pot. Usually the ace is the lowest-ranking card, straights and flushes do not count making the best possible hand being A, 2, 3, 4, 5 regardless of suits (in contrast to deuce-to-seven lowball.)
- 3 A form of cribbage in which the first to score 121 (or 61) is the loser.
- 4 An unmixed alcohol drink served on ice or water in a short glass.
- 5 Clipping of lowball glass. abbreviation, alt-of, clipping
Verb
- 1 To give an intentionally low estimate of anything, not necessarily with deceptive intent. transitive
"It may be, but it is worth noting that if the mortality rate is as low as 0.7% as some experts now hope rather than between 3 and 5% as the data suggests so far, that is still a lot of dead Americans. Californian health officials are bracing for a 56% infection rate. In New York, they are talking about a range of between 30% and 80%, so if we just lowball that, that is close to seven hundred thousand dead Americans as a result of COVID-19. Modeling based on current social and economic disruption actually puts the number at 1.2 million people dying, all the way up to 2.2 million if no measures are taken to reduce contagion and the virus is allowed to run its course."
- 2 make a deliberately low estimate wordnet
- 3 To give (a customer) a deceptively low price or cost estimate that one has no intention of honoring or to prepare a cost estimate deliberately and misleadingly low. transitive
"A few other news flashes from the interview: The president of the United States thinks that the government should not pay its bills in full. It should lowball its contractors and force them to accept half payment, he said."
- 4 To make an offer well below an item's true value, often to take advantage of the seller's desperation or desire to sell the item quickly. transitive
Adjective
- 1 Significantly below the actual cost or value.
"In April, NASA selected SpaceX to build the lunar lander for the Artemis program, thanks in part to a lowball $2.9 billion bid."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"In April, NASA selected SpaceX to build the lunar lander for the Artemis program, thanks in part to a lowball $2.9 billion bid."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "lowball"?
Common synonyms include: minimum score, underbid, underbidding, underbids, undercutting, underestimate.
How do you use "lowball" in a sentence?
In April, NASA selected SpaceX to build the lunar lander for the Artemis program, thanks in part to a lowball $2.9 billion bid.
Etymology
American railroad term that described one of two positions of the ball of a ball signal. Compare highball.