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
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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:
Novel racket sports like padel are spreading; the small central city of Hebi has built around 1,600 pickleball courts and has roughly 300,000 pickleball players, according to state television.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Comparing key components of padel, pickleball, tennis and squash at-a-glance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
The solid, rectangular faces of pickleball paddles make them resemble pizza peels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
I try to play pickleball for at least two hours a day, if I can.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
“I still can’t believe Legend likes pickleball more than basketball.”
From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko
Plastic pickleballs look similar to Wiffle balls, but with more holes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
It was loud inside from paddles hitting pickleballs and piped-in music.
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.
