- Pool.
- a black ball marked with the number eight.
- a game in which one player or side must pocket all of either the solid-color balls or the striped ones before being permitted to attempt the pocketing of the eightball, which wins.
- an inept person.
- in a difficult, disadvantageous, or uncomfortable situation: He hasn't studied all term, and now he's behind the eightball.
- (in pool) the black ball, marked with the number eight
- in a difficult situation; snookered
