paintball

paintball — noun

1. a team game where players use special guns to hit other players with small balls

1.nounB2
Definition

a team game where players use special guns to hit other players with small balls of paint.

Example

Our class played paintball in the woods after the final exam.

pattern: play paintball

At the sports camp, Nina tried paintball for the first time.

Common collocations
  • play paintball
  • indoor paintball
  • paintball match
  • paintball game
  • paintball field
Synonyms
  • combat game

    a broad term for games built around fighting, not only this sport

  • war game

    broader and can include pretend battles without paint guns

Grammar Patterns

play paintball

go paintballing

paintball game/match

Usage Note

Usually uncountable after play: people say play paintball, not play a paintball. Countable forms such as a paintball game or a paintball match refer to one event.

Common Mistakes

We played a paintball yesterday.
We played paintball yesterday.
The sport name is usually uncountable after play.

Word family

  • paintballing
    nounC1
  • paintballer
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Paintball names a sport where players shoot each other with small balls that break and leave paint. Laser tag is cleaner and usually uses light sensors instead of real projectiles, so it feels less physical. Airsoft is closer in style because players use gun-shaped equipment, but it normally uses plastic pellets and often aims at a more realistic military feel. War game is a much broader label that can include many different battle-style activities, not only paintball. Use paintball when you mean this exact sport. Compare: Our office played paintball on Saturday. The children chose laser tag at the mall instead.

paintball ↗laser tagairsoftwar game

Common collocations

Nouns

  • paintball field
  • paintball game
  • paintball match

Phrases

  • play paintball
  • go paintballing
  • try paintball

Etymology

English

English formed paintball by joining paint and ball. The name refers to the small balls that burst and leave paint on a player when they hit. The sport became widely known in the late 20th century.