Showing results for "balling"

• present participle of ball.

balling

American  

[baw-lin] / ˈbɔ lɪn /

Also ballin’,

verb

1. Slang. living a lavish, flashy, or extravagant lifestyle, especially spending freely while partying.

   It’s not fair that he’s out ballin’ in the club while she’s home taking care of their kids.

2. Informal. present participle of ball, in the sense of playing basketball.

   Y’all remember those summers we spent ballin on the court shooting threes?

3. Slang: Vulgar. present participle of ball, in the sense of having sexual intercourse.

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adjective

Slang.

1. lavish, flashy, or extravagant.

   He really doesn’t have the kind of money to keep up this balling lifestyle.

Etymology

Origin of balling

First recorded in 1660–70; ball ² ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ); 1990–95 balling for def. 2, ball ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ); 1960–65 balling for def. 3, ball ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

balling

"It's all dog, all the time," he said of Roscoe's balling talents.

From Barron's ● May 10, 2026

You can come in balling and throwing stuff, but to who?

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2025

“More things that just never happened,” according to Lizzo, include the singer “cracking her knuckles, balling her fists” and launching perceived threats after Rodriguez announced her resignation, as the dancer alleged in the lawsuit.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 20, 2024

“I’m telling you!” she cried, balling up her fists.

From Slate ● Feb. 4, 2024

This is how balling I was: I bought a cordless telephone.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah