Volleyball (noun) — a group game where two teams play with a high net that is put between them and attempt to bounce a ball off each other using arms.
How to Pronounce “Volleyball”?
Audio (UK):
Audio (US):
begin with vol such as volume, use a soft ley (not lee), and end with a pronounced and rounded ball.
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“Volleyball” in Sentence: How It Appears in Daily Conversation and Texts
These sample sentences demonstrate the ways in which “volleyball” can be used in everyday speech and writing, and in which it can be used to convey various thoughts and feelings.
“Volleyball” Word Formation and Description in Context
“Volleyball” takes different grammatical forms in speech and writing to express experiences, skills, and contexts of the sport.
Related nouns: game match sport team sport beach volleyball indoor volleyball
Synonyms (contextual): ball game net game
Common collocations: volleyball court volleyball team volleyball match volleyball tournament
“Volleyball” Word Formation and Description in Context
“Volleyball” takes different grammatical forms in speech and writing to express experiences, skills, and contexts of the sport.
With adjectives: professional volleyball beach volleyball indoor volleyball school volleyball
With verbs: play volleyball coach volleyball train for volleyball enjoy volleyball
With nouns (noun + noun): volleyball team volleyball game volleyball net volleyball player
Idioms and Phrases with “Volleyball”
“Volleyball” is a term that is not present in the conventional English idioms. Nevertheless, the game inspires several phrases and expressions which are applied to describe the teamwork, coordination and active effort.
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Serve the ball refers to taking initiative or starting an activity, similar to making the first hit in volleyball.
It was time for her to serve the ball and lead the discussion. -
Keep the ball in the air means keep doing something and not stop.
The whole department worked together to keep the ball in the air during the busy season.
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Dig deep (borrowed from volleyball defense) means to give extra effort when the challenge is tough.
The players had to dig deep in the final set to win the match.
Mini-Quiz: How Well Do You Know the “Volleyball” Word?
Challenge yourself with a quick test to see how naturally you can use “volleyball” in different contexts.
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The Name of the Game: “Volleyball” Across Languages
Add value to your word bank and learn how to say “volleyball” in different European countries.
| Language | Word for “Volleyball” |
|---|---|
Spanish |
Voleibol |
French |
Volley-ball |
German |
Volleyball |
Surprising Details About “Volleyball” You Probably Didn’t Know
You may assume that you are already familiar with the description of “volleyball,” but these unusual facts will make you see it from an entirely different angle.
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The longest volleyball game lasted more than three days.
In 2011, a Guinness World Record match in the Netherlands was more than 85 hours long, and two teams took turns to stay within the rules. It was over three days of continuous serves, spikes, and stamina. -
Volleyball was introduced as an Olympic Sport rather late.
Volleyball was invented in the 19th century, but it was not introduced to the Olympics until 1964 in Tokyo. After 32 years, beach volleyball became a part of the Olympic program in 1996 in Atlanta. -
The volleyball spike with the fastest speed was really quick.
The highest speed ever recorded was an astounding 132 km/h (82 mph) struck by Wilfredo Leon a Cuban-Polish volleyball superstar who is famous for his explosive power. -
Originally volleyballs were made of leather panels that were sewn around a bladder.
Prior to the modern synthetic materials, the volleyballs used were early handmade stitched leather volleyballs with an inner rubber bladder just like the early soccer balls. With time, the manufacturers enhanced the design to achieve a better grip and stability of flight. -
The origin of beach volleyball is a leisure activity that started on the Californian beaches.
During the 1920s, volleyball was transformed into a casual beach sport by beachgoers in Santa Monica who constructed improvised volleyball courts on the sand. The recreational sport later evolved into a professional sport and world competitions and Olympics.
Inspiring Quotes Reflecting the Spirit of “Volleyball”
The quotes with “volleyball”in English summarize how the sport is a reflection of life: lessons to do with trust and strategy and resilience.
— Karch Kiraly
Explanation: Kiraly celebrates teamwork as the heart of the game. Every serve, dig, and set connects people — showing that shared effort always outweighs individual glory.
— Sydney Sierra
Explanation: It humorously suggests that volleyball demands more precision, coordination, and mental focus than people might assume. The comparison to football (soccer or American football, depending on context) adds a playful rivalry between sports, implying that volleyball players face unique difficulties that make their game anything but simple.
— Shonda Rhimes
Explanation: The showrunner exaggerates her competitiveness to a comical extreme, calling it “scary-psychotic,” to show that even casual games like volleyball, cards, or Scrabble turn into serious battles for her. The mention of volleyball here serves as an example of how even a friendly sport can unleash her fierce determination.
