Ball up means: To crush or form into a ball shape.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
ball up
(transitive) To crush or form into a ball shape.
Seen in the wild
5 citations · last seen May 2026
Seen in the wild
BlueskyMay 2026
Fort Worth-area girls soccer: 2025-26 individual awards https://www.newsbeep.com/us-tx/281183/ Southlake Carroll midfielder Peyton Hayes (3) dribbles the ball up the pitch past a Forney defender in a…
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BlueskyMay 2026
is it legal in cricket to swat the ball up and then hit it again
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BlueskyMay 2026
So a bit like a nfl game Does the clock stop when a keeper picks the ball up & can hold it for 8 seconds as technically the ball isnt in play then as he cant be challenged I must say though that i see no reason wh…
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BlueskyMay 2026
Did Gyökeres make the “right” decision there? Maybe. Maybe not. But he held the ball up, prevented Oblak claiming it, crossed it to a more “creative” player, and Saka was exactly where he needed to be to score an hist…
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BlueskyMay 2026
Why the fuck is Saka so deep he's picking the ball up coming out of the box
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Definitions
#1·Apr 26, 2026
(transitive) To crush or form into a ball shape.
She balled up her paper in frustration.
For parents
Ball up means: To crush or form into a ball shape.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
ball up means: To crush or form into a ball shape.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.
Cluster: general
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#2·Apr 26, 2026
(ambitransitive) To coil up into a ball.
He balled up his fists, ready to fight.
Heard in the wild
“Fort Worth-area girls soccer: 2025-26 individual awards https://www.newsbeep.com/us-tx/281183/ Southlake Carroll midfielder Peyton Hayes (3) dribbles the ball up the pitch past a Forney defender in a…”
— Bluesky· May 2026“is it legal in cricket to swat the ball up and then hit it again”
— Bluesky· May 2026“So a bit like a nfl game Does the clock stop when a keeper picks the ball up & can hold it for 8 seconds as technically the ball isnt in play then as he cant be challenged I must say though that i see no reason why game is halted for subs”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Did Gyökeres make the “right” decision there? Maybe. Maybe not. But he held the ball up, prevented Oblak claiming it, crossed it to a more “creative” player, and Saka was exactly where he needed to be to score an historic goal.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Why the fuck is Saka so deep he's picking the ball up coming out of the box”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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#3·Apr 26, 2026
(intransitive) To become ball-shaped.
Be careful, or the metal will ball up.
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
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Other words near "ball up" (B)
balls onballs-outballs to the wallballsuckerballs-upball-tailed catball veinball washerballyboebalmoralbalmybaloney pony
Browse all slang words starting with B.