pickleball
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of pickleball
First recorded in 1970–75; originally a proprietary name for the equipment used in the game
Explanation
Pickleball is a sport that's similar to tennis, but it's played with paddles instead of rackets. In pickleball, players hit a hollow plastic ball back and forth over a low net. Sometimes described as a cross between tennis and ping-pong, pickleball was invented in the 1960s in Washington state. It quickly grew popular in the Pacific Northwest, but didn't catch on more widely until the 2020s. Former U.S. Congressman Joel Pritchard is credited with creating the game for his kids. Many people think he named it after his dog, Pickles, but Pritchard later said pickleball came from the so-called pickle boat in crew, a randomly thrown-together group of rowers.
Vocabulary lists containing pickleball
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for August 31–September 6, 2024
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for May 11–May 17, 2025
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for March 22–March 28, 2026
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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.
See Examples For:
Then we have to do all the New York Times games, and then I’ll try and find a pickleball game.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
She has a beautiful tennis court and they put tape down on it so we can use it for pickleball, too.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
Prince Harry tried his hand at pickleball, playing in a doubles game, watched by competitors, families and supporters and a bank of press cameras.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
An eye injury during a pickleball tournament led retiree Brad Robins and a friend to create new protective eyewear for the fast-growing sport — even before they got home.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026
“I still can’t believe Legend likes pickleball more than basketball.”
From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko
It was loud inside from paddles hitting pickleballs and piped-in music.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2025
When pickleballs are hit too hard, they crack.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2025
Once lit, the bottom layer displayed the second part of the message, “Ellen,” alongside several pickleballs — a nod to DeGeneres’ favorite activity.
From Salon ● Mar. 12, 2024
The hard plastic pickleballs create a sharp pop-pop-pop that is legendary for the disputes and lawsuits it has triggered nationwide.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 24, 2023
Patio chairs and tables for spectators all have broken pickleballs shoved over their feet, putting to use the dozens of spherical casualties created by the pickleball aficionado and her friends.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 5, 2015
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.
