passed ball

American  

[past bawl] / ˈpæst ˌbɔl /

noun

Baseball.

1. a pitched ball that the catcher can reasonably be expected to catch but misses, allowing one or more base runners to advance one or more bases.

---

Etymology

Origin of passed ball

An Americanism dating back to 1860–65

Compare meaning

How does passed-ball compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• passed ball vs. wild pitch

Example Sentences

Richland would add a fourth run in the bottom of the fourth when Carter Upmeyer scored on a passed ball.

From Seattle Times • May 25, 2024

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

Huntington Beach 1, Laguna Beach 0: Four pitchers combined for a two-hit shutout for the Oilers, who scored the game’s only run in the top of the seventh inning on a passed ball.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 8, 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 Ward, John M.