cotton ball
noun
US
: a small ball of cotton that can be used for a variety of purposes (such as removing makeup or cleaning a wound) and that is usually used once and then thrown away
a bag of cotton balls
Examples of cotton ball in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Made with 100% super soft cotton, each extra-large cotton ball is incredibly gentle on the skin.
—
Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
If there’s makeup residue on your eyelash curler, dampen a cotton ball with makeup remover and run it over the curler.
—Bestreviews, The Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2025
Ink Stains Dampen a cotton ball or cotton swab with rubbing alcohol.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2024
Massage it into your scalp with your fingertips or a cotton ball.
—Adrienne Dellwo, Verywell Health, 4 Jan. 2025
Soak a cotton ball in the mixture, then tuck it into a tree branch.
—Cody Godwin, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
Dab away the oily residue using a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol.
—Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Dec. 2024
Toners: After cleansing, place a small amount of rice water on a cotton ball and smooth it over your face.
—Julie Marks, Verywell Health, 10 Dec. 2024
Glue a black cotton ball to the top for extra dimension and faux eyes for personality.
—Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2024
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
If there’s makeup residue on your eyelash curler, dampen a cotton ball with makeup remover and run it over the curler.
—Bestreviews, The Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2025
Ink Stains Dampen a cotton ball or cotton swab with rubbing alcohol.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2024
Massage it into your scalp with your fingertips or a cotton ball.
—Adrienne Dellwo, Verywell Health, 4 Jan. 2025
Soak a cotton ball in the mixture, then tuck it into a tree branch.
—Cody Godwin, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
Dab away the oily residue using a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol.
—Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Dec. 2024
Toners: After cleansing, place a small amount of rice water on a cotton ball and smooth it over your face.
—Julie Marks, Verywell Health, 10 Dec. 2024
Glue a black cotton ball to the top for extra dimension and faux eyes for personality.
—Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Cotton ball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cotton%20ball. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share