as in to increase
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
the little problems we ignored began to snowball into huge headaches
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of snowball
Even the savviest travelers make mistakes—often small decisions that snowball into bigger hassles once a trip is underway.
—
Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 29 Dec. 2025
That still puts you ahead of the afternoon crunch, when delays are more likely to snowball.
—Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
Or will the default numbers snowball into an avalanche?
—Cory Turner, NPR, 23 Dec. 2025
The Minnesota fraud cases have snowballed, and Thompson said more charges are expected.
—Hannah Fingerhut, Twin Cities, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for snowball
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snowball
Verb
-
The committee approved Lucas’s amendment and approved the recommendation to increase funding for the temporary jail.—
-
Iwobi’s movement drags Ladislav Krejci wider, increasing the space between the lines and creating a clear passing angle for Calvin Bassey.—
Verb
-
There were 107 homicides in Kansas City in 2012, and while that number dipped to as low as 82 homicides in 2014, the number of homicides continued to rise until a peak in 2023 at 182 homicides.—
-
Tensions rise when Nora, a stage actress, rejects Gustav's offer to star in his comeback film and is forced to confront her feelings toward her estranged father.—
Verb
-
But the longstanding regime’s grasp on power now appears more tenuous than ever as the swelling opposition movement demands substantive change.—
-
Tensions mount in Minneapolis Hundreds of people took to the streets of Minneapolis to protest within hours of Good’s death and demonstrations have continued to swell in the ensuing days.—
Verb
-
The race to commercialize perovskite technology has accelerated rapidly in recent years.—
-
The transfer portal, which opened Friday, allows programs to accelerate the rebuilding process and replace departing players — more than 20 in Florida’s case.—
Verb
-
For five years, the group from Mexico's National Autonomous University has climbed the volcano with pounds of equipment, risked data loss due to bad weather or a volcanic explosion and used artificial intelligence to analyze the seismic data.—
-
But as prices have climbed in recent days, locals have increasingly stayed away from the market stalls, reducing the chaos to a relative hush.—
Verb
-
Flywing also plans to expand the competitive side of the platform.—
-
Neutrality allowed the nation to build strength, expand westward, and avoid the ideological contagions sweeping the continent.—
Cite this Entry
“Snowball.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snowball. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share