What does bowled mean?
"Bowled" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "bowl," which describes rolling or throwing a ball along a surface toward a target. Its most familiar uses are in sport: in ten-pin bowling, a player bowls a ball down an alley hoping to knock down pins; in cricket, a bowler delivers the ball toward the batsman, and if the ball strikes the wickets and dislodges the bails, the batsman is said to be "bowled." The word also extends into figurative English through the idiom "bowled over," which means to be deeply surprised, delighted, or overwhelmed — as when someone is "bowled over" by unexpected kindness or a stunning performance. Derived from the noun "bowl" (the ball itself), which ultimately traces back through Old French and medieval Latin roots connected to rounded objects, "bowled" carries connotations of precision, momentum, and impact. It is common in everyday speech wherever games of skill involving balls are discussed.
verbPast tense and past participle of the verb "bowl": to roll or throw a ball along the ground, especially in the sports of bowling or cricket, where it can mean dismissing a batsman by knocking down the stumps with the delivered ball.
- (past tense/participle of bowl) To have rolled or thrown a ball along the ground in bowling or cricket.
- (cricket) To have dismissed a batsman by hitting the wickets with a delivered ball.
- (figurative, chiefly in 'bowled over') To have overwhelmed or astonished someone.
"The fast bowler bowled a perfect yorker and sent the middle stump flying."
"She bowled three strikes in a row at the bowling alley."
"The crowd was bowled over by his impromptu speech."
In cricket, being "bowled" means your stumps were shattered by the ball — one of the most dramatic ways to lose your wicket.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bowled
The verb "bowl" derives from the noun "bowl," meaning a round ball used in games, which came into Middle English from Old French "bole" or "boule," ultimately rooted in medieval Latin "bolla" (or "bulla"), denoting a round object. From this same family of round-ball words come related terms such as "boule" (the French game and its metal ball) and "boulder." The sporting sense developed across medieval Europe, where lawn bowling was popular by the late Middle Ages; the cricketing use of "bowled" as a dismissal became established as the game codified its rules in the eighteenth century.
Word family
Usage notes
Primarily used as the past form of the verb "bowl." The figurative phrase "bowled over" (meaning greatly impressed or astonished) is common in both British and American English. In cricket commentary, "bowled" appears frequently as a mode of dismissal.
Don't confuse with
"Bold" is an adjective meaning brave or daring, while "bowled" is a verb form meaning having rolled a ball.
"Bawled" means shouted or cried loudly, whereas "bowled" refers to rolling a ball in a game.