breaking ball: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Rare (outside of baseball contexts)Technical / Specialised (baseball), Figurative / Informal (metaphorical use)
Quick answer
What does “breaking ball” mean?
In baseball, a pitched ball that sharply deviates from its expected straight path as it approaches the batter.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
In baseball, a pitched ball that sharply deviates from its expected straight path as it approaches the batter.
A deceptive, unpredictable, or strategic manoeuvre or event that catches someone off guard. This use is metaphorical, primarily in sports commentary and, by extension, in other strategic contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is American English in origin and context. In British English, the concept is alien as the sport is cricket, not baseball, so the term is not used. A cricketer would speak of a 'break' or 'spin'.
Connotations
American: technical sports term connoting skill, deception, and strategy. British: generally unrecognised or associated solely with American culture.
Frequency
High frequency in American baseball commentary and writing. Negligible to zero in British English outside of discussions about American sports.
Grammar
How to Use “breaking ball” in a Sentence
The pitcher threw (INDIRECT_OBJECT) a breaking ball.The hitter missed the breaking ball (thrown by PITCHER).A breaking ball broke down and away.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “breaking ball” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The bowler seeks to spin the ball, not to 'break' it. (No direct equivalent verb usage for 'breaking ball'.)
American English
- The pitcher will try to break it sharply away from the left-handed hitter.
adjective
American English
- He has a devastating breaking-ball pitch in his arsenal.
- His breaking-ball repertoire is extensive.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Metaphorically, to describe an unexpected market move or strategic twist from a competitor. 'The merger announcement was a real breaking ball for the industry.'
Academic
Almost never used, except in papers on sports science or American cultural studies.
Everyday
Very rare outside of discussing or watching baseball. An American might use it metaphorically in conversation.
Technical
Core use is in baseball coaching, commentary, and statistics to categorise pitch types.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “breaking ball”
- Using 'breaking ball' to describe a ball that is physically broken. Using it in non-baseball contexts without clear metaphorical intent, leading to confusion.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A curveball is a specific, common type of breaking ball. 'Breaking ball' is the broader category for any pitch that moves sharply, which includes curveballs, sliders, and slurves.
Only if you are specifically discussing American baseball or deliberately using an American sports metaphor. It is not a term native to British sports vocabulary.
To deceive the batter. The pitcher aims to make the ball start on one trajectory and then break (move sharply) in a different direction as it reaches home plate, making it harder for the batter to hit squarely.
No, it is quite rare and stylistic. It is primarily found in sports writing extended to other fields (e.g., politics, business) for colourful effect. 'Curveball' is more common in metaphorical use.
In baseball, a pitched ball that sharply deviates from its expected straight path as it approaches the batter.
Breaking ball is usually technical / specialised (baseball), figurative / informal (metaphorical use) in register.
Breaking ball: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbreɪkɪŋ bɔːl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbreɪkɪŋ bɑːl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To throw someone a breaking ball (metaphorical) = to present a surprising or deceptive challenge.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
The ball looks like it's going straight (breaking the batter's expectation) until it BREAKs its path sharply.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PREDICTABLE PATH IS A STRAIGHT LINE / AN UNPREDICTABLE EVENT IS A DEVIATING/BREAKING BALL.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'breaking ball' MOST appropriately and literally used?