Meaning & Origin

“Get the ball rolling” means to begin a task, meeting, or project — to initiate momentum so others can continue. The image comes from starting a ball moving so it keeps rolling.

Pronunciation Guide

• get the BALL ROLL‑ing — primary stress on “ball,” secondary on “roll.”

Usage & Sentence Examples

Use it when you or someone else is initiating action.

• Let’s get the ball rolling with a quick kickoff call.
• Can you get the ball rolling on the Q4 hiring plan?
• I got the ball rolling by outlining the key milestones.
• Once legal gets the ball rolling, procurement can follow.
• The pilot got the ball rolling for broader adoption.
• A short survey will get the ball rolling on user research.

Synonyms

kick things off · get things started · set in motion · initiate · start the ball rolling · break the ice (for meetings)