cannonball

1 of 2

noun

can·​non·​ball ˈka-nən-ˌbȯl How to pronounce cannonball (audio)
1
: a usually round solid missile made for firing from a cannon
2
: a jump into water made with the arms holding the knees tight against the chest
3
: a hard flat tennis service
4
: an express train

cannonball

2 of 2

verb

cannonballed; cannonballing; cannonballs

intransitive verb

: to travel with great speed

Examples of cannonball in a Sentence

Verb a dune buggy came recklessly cannonballing down the crowded beach
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
The [Spot for cannonballs] could be inside a cannon, but that’s too obvious for a Friday. Deb Amlen, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2025 The rocket reaches a velocity of over 2,200 mph, or close to Mach 3, on the way up, plunges back through the atmosphere like a cannonball after a few minutes of weightlessness, and depends on a parachute to bring the passengers home safely—not the kind of chances every traveler would want to take. Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 13 Apr. 2025
Verb
The surface is broken as a body cannonballs down to the bottom, followed by a second, a third, a fourth, a fifth … until there are too many to track. Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 16 May 2025 No offense to George Clooney, Michael B. Jordan, Patrick Dempsey or even the latest selection John Krasinski, but Jack Black would cannonball those dudes out of the water. Rachel McRady, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cannonball

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1899, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cannonball was in 1606

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cannonball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cannonball. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

cannonball

noun
can·​non·​ball
ˈkan-ən-ˌbȯl
: a usually round solid missile for firing from a cannon
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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