Meaning & use
pom-poms
Last updated
“pom-poms” is a form of “pom-pom”.
Meanings
nounplural
Small fluffy balls made of wool or other soft material, often used as decorations or on clothing.
Grammar: The singular is 'pom-pom'. Use 'a pom-pom' for one, 'pom-poms' for several.
Patterns
- a pair of pom-poms
- pom-poms on something
She decorated her winter hat with two bright red pom-poms.
The cat loves chasing the pom-poms hanging from the toy.
He glued pom-poms onto the gift box to make it look festive.
nounpluralsport
The large fluffy balls that cheerleaders shake during performances.
Grammar: Usually plural in this sense; the singular 'pom-pom' can refer to one such ball.
Patterns
- shake pom-poms
- wave pom-poms
The cheerleaders shook their pom-poms and shouted the team's name.
She practiced her routine with a set of silver pom-poms.
The crowd waved pom-poms as the players ran onto the field.
Word forms
| singular | pom-pom |
|---|
Common combinations
- cheerleader pom-poms
- The cheerleader pom-poms were stored in a big box.
- wool pom-poms
- We made wool pom-poms for the craft project.
- shake pom-poms
- The fans began to shake pom-poms when the team scored.
- decorate with pom-poms
- You can decorate with pom-poms to add color to a plain scarf.
Synonyms and how they differ
Commonly confused: pom-poms or pom-pom?
pom-poms vs pom-pom
The singular 'pom-pom' refers to one fluffy ball; 'pom-poms' is plural. Also, 'pom-pom' can mean a type of gun, but that use is rare.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'pom-poms' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option 1 correctly uses the plural 'pom-poms' with a plural verb 'waved' and a plural possessive 'their'. Option 0 uses 'a' with a plural noun; option 2 uses 'a' with a plural noun; option 3 uses a singular verb 'is' with a plural noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pom-poms”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.