fly ball: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Sports, informal, colloquial.
Quick answer
What does “fly ball” mean?
In baseball and softball, a ball that is hit high into the air, typically in the field of play.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
In baseball and softball, a ball that is hit high into the air, typically in the field of play.
In broader, figurative use, it can refer to any high-arcing trajectory or an easily catchable, predictable situation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is specific to baseball, a sport of American origin. In British contexts (e.g., cricket), the equivalent concept would be a 'high catch' or a 'skyer', but 'fly ball' is understood primarily in baseball contexts.
Connotations
In the US, it has strong, specific baseball connotations. In the UK, it is a recognised loan term from baseball with little to no figurative use.
Frequency
High frequency in US sports media and casual talk about baseball; low frequency in general UK English outside of baseball discussions.
Grammar
How to Use “fly ball” in a Sentence
The batter hit a fly ball to centre field.The fielder caught the fly ball for the out.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “fly ball” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A as verb
American English
- N/A as verb
adverb
British English
- N/A as adverb
American English
- N/A as adverb
adjective
British English
- N/A as adjective
American English
- N/A as adjective
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; potentially used metaphorically: 'Securing that client was a routine fly ball.'
Academic
Virtually nonexistent outside of sports science or cultural studies of sport.
Everyday
Common in the US when discussing or watching baseball; understood but rarely used in the UK.
Technical
Specific term in baseball coaching, statistics (FB%), and rulebooks.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “fly ball”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “fly ball”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “fly ball”
- Using 'fly ball' to describe a ball in flight from a throw (it must be a batted ball).
- Capitalising it as a proper noun.
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'He fly balled to left field' is incorrect).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a compound noun written as two separate words ('fly ball'). Hyphenation ('fly-ball') is less common but occasionally seen.
No, cricket uses terms like 'skyer' or 'high catch'. Using 'fly ball' in cricket would be a direct borrowing from baseball terminology and sound unusual.
A 'pop fly' is a specific type of fly ball that goes very high but does not travel far, often in the infield. All pop flies are fly balls, but not all fly balls are pop flies (e.g., a deep fly ball to the outfield).
No. The correct phrasing is 'to hit a fly ball'. 'He fly balled to right field' is grammatically incorrect.
In baseball and softball, a ball that is hit high into the air, typically in the field of play.
Fly ball is usually sports, informal, colloquial. in register.
Fly ball: in British English it is pronounced /ˈflaɪ ˌbɔːl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈflaɪ ˌbɑːl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A can of corn (an easy fly ball to catch)”
- “It's a routine fly ball (a simple, predictable task).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a FLY buzzing high in the air; a fly BALL is hit high in the air for a fielder to catch.
Conceptual Metaphor
PREDICTABLE TASKS ARE EASY FLY BALLS (e.g., 'That report was a fly ball—finished it in an hour.').
Practice
Quiz
In which sport is the term 'fly ball' primarily used?