Meaning & use
ball of fur
Last updated
UK/ˌbɔːl əv ˈfɜː/
US/ˌbɔːl əv ˈfɜːr/
Meaning
phrasecountable
A small, very furry animal, especially a young pet, that looks like a round mass of hair.
Grammar: Countable: one ball of fur, two balls of fur. Often used with an or the.
Patterns
- a ball of fur
- a little ball of fur
The kitten was just a tiny ball of fur when we adopted her.
He curled up on the sofa like a warm ball of fur.
A ball of fur rolled across the floor — it was the new puppy.
Word forms
| plural | balls of fur |
|---|
Common combinations
- a tiny ball of fur
- The hamster looked like a tiny ball of fur in my hand.
- a little ball of fur
- She carried a little ball of fur wrapped in a blanket.
- a fluffy ball of fur
- The rabbit was a fluffy ball of fur with long ears.
- curl up into a ball of fur
- The cat curled up into a ball of fur and fell asleep.
Synonyms and how they differ
- fuzzball
- Fuzzball is more playful and informal; ball of fur is a clearer, more neutral description.
- furball
- Furball often means a hairball coughed up by a cat, so it can be confusing; ball of fur always describes the animal itself.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'ball of fur' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A ball of fur describes a small furry animal, so it fits the dog. The other options treat it as a toy or object, which is not the usual meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ball of fur”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.