bowling alley
Americannoun
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a building or enclosed area containing a number of lanes or alleys for the game of bowling.
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any of these long, narrow wooden lanes or alleys.
noun
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a long narrow wooden lane down which the ball is rolled in tenpin bowling
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a similar lane or alley, usually with raised sides, for playing skittles (ninepins)
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a building having several lanes for tenpin bowling
Etymology
Origin of bowling alley
First recorded in 1545–55
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I’ve celebrated my birthday at a go-kart racing track and a bowling alley.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026
In 2024, workers said, the company hosted a Christmas party that featured a cash bar at a local bowling alley.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026
Completed in 2021, the sprawling property is now believed to be worth around $35 million, offering an array of high-end amenities, including a bowling alley, private gym, an Olympic-size swimming pool, and a spa.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 4, 2026
"We're losing what was the Arches to become a bowling alley in the centre of Glasgow," says Lynne.
From BBC • Dec. 26, 2025
There was a violent rush of wind, and the roar of what sounded like a hurricane tearing through the bowling alley.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
