lowball

American  

[loh-bawl] / ˈloʊˌbɔl /

noun

1. Cards. a game of draw poker in which the player having the lowest-ranking hand wins the pot.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to deliberately estimate a lower low price for (a service or merchandise) than one intends to charge.

   to lowball the cost of a move.

2. to give a false estimate or bid for.

verb (used without object)

1. to engage in lowballing.

adjective

1. engaged in or characteristic of lowballing.

   a lowball bid.

lowball British  

/ ˈləʊˌbɔːl /

noun

1. a game of poker in which the player with the lowest hand wins

2. 1. a very low estimate or offer

   2. ( as modifier )

      a lowball bid

---

verb

1. (tr) to make a very low estimate or offer for (a service, product, company, etc)

Etymology

Origin of lowball

low ¹ + ball ¹

Example Sentences

But even those lowball official projections may not be low enough, writes Stephen Brown, deputy chief North America economist at Capital Economics.

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

So when applicants lowball, they may end up pricing themselves well below what the company actually budgeted to pay.

From Slate • Jan. 20, 2026

The sense among Warner executives and their advisers was that Paramount was trying to lowball the company.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

In my estimation, every five Y2K polyblend tops that I got rid of earned me one beautiful silk Prada blouse I scored from a lowball bid on EBay.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2025

O’Brien even lobbed a few lowball jokes about AI and Amazon into the crowd, but nothing that left the audience doubled over in laughter.

From Salon • Mar. 3, 2025