Illustration of catapult
- catapult 1
cat·a·pult
ˈka-tə-ˌpəlt 
-ˌpu̇lt
1
: an ancient military device for hurling missiles
2
: a device for launching an airplane at flying speed (as from an aircraft carrier)
catapulted; catapulting; catapults
: to throw or launch by or as if by a catapult
: to become catapulted
he catapulted to fame
Examples of catapult in a Sentence
Verb
They catapulted rocks toward the castle.
The publicity catapulted her CD to the top of the charts.
The novel catapulted him from unknown to best-selling author.
He catapulted to fame after his first book was published.
Her career was catapulting ahead.
Recent Examples on the Web
Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
But Bill Gates, the Microsoft founder, catapults to second on the True Net Worth list once charitable giving is factored in.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
Grainge was catapulted into an entirely new level of influence.
—Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for catapult
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Noun
Redesigns, better engines, and improved stealth and aerodynamics culminated in its first catapult launch test in 2021.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
But Bill Gates, the Microsoft founder, catapults to second on the True Net Worth list once charitable giving is factored in.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
DeSantis also championed the medical freedom proposal, which would have cemented the policies that catapulted him to GOP stardom during the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
Grainge was catapulted into an entirely new level of influence.
—Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for catapult
Cite this Entry
“Catapult.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catapult. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
catapult
1 of 2 noun
cat·a·pult
ˈkat-ə-ˌpəlt
-ˌpu̇lt
1
: an ancient military device for hurling missiles
2
: a device for launching an airplane (as from the deck of an aircraft carrier)
catapult
2 of 2 verb1
: to throw or launch by or as if by a catapult
2
: to become catapulted
he catapulted to fame
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