1 B1 informal
To roll or press something, especially paper or fabric, into a tight, compact ball.
"He balled up the rejection letter and threw it across the room."
separable
ball up
B2 informal separable transitive/intransitive
To roll or scrunch something into a tight ball; or to confuse or confound a person or situation.
In plain English
To scrunch something into a round ball shape, or to get confused or mess something up.
What does "ball up" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 informal
To curl the body into a tight, rounded position.
"She balled up under the covers and tried to ignore the noise outside."
inseparable
3 B2 idiomatic informal
(American English, informal) To confuse, mix up, or ruin a situation or plan.
"The new instructions only balled up the whole process for everyone."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To compress something into a ball — transparent for the physical sense.
Actually means
To scrunch something into a round ball shape, or to get confused or mess something up.
Usage tip
The physical sense (scrunch into a ball) is neutral and common. The sense of confusing or ruining something is more American English. Not as vulgar as 'balls up.'
Words that pair with "ball up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
paper fist cloth plan situation socks
How to conjugate "ball up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
ball up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
balls up
he/she/it
Past simple
balled up
yesterday
Past participle
balled up
have + pp
-ing form
balling up
continuous
Hear "ball up" in the wild
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Other ways to say "ball up"
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Keep exploring
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