passed ball
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of passed ball
An Americanism dating back to 1860–65
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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.
Second inning, Blake Snell gives up a one-out single to Spencer Horowitz, who advances to second on a passed ball, but Snell strands him with a strikeout of Billy Cook.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
Santa Barbara won on a passed ball in the eighth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 17, 2025
Arizona scored twice off reliever Ryan Yarbrough in the eighth when Marte led off with a homer off the left-field foul pole and Walker doubled and later scored on a passed ball.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2024
After Brenton Doyle’s RBI single, Ezequiel Tovar scored on a passed ball to tie it, and with two outs, Elias Díaz delivered a go-ahead double that sent Colorado to a 10-9 win.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 29, 2024
The runner always takes considerable ground in order to score on a slow hit to the in-field, or on a short passed ball.
From Base-Ball How to Become a Player by John M. Ward
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.