curveball

noun

curve·​ball ˈkərv-ˌbȯl How to pronounce curveball (audio)
: a slow or moderately fast baseball pitch thrown with spin to make it swerve downward and usually to the left when thrown from the right hand or to the right when thrown from the left hand
curveball verb

Examples of curveball in a Sentence

The batter struck out on a curveball.
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.
Between running your business, managing family obligations and tending to the unexpected curveballs life throws your way, the chaos can feel all-consuming. Minna Hu, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024 Watch the Official Trailer for ‘The Penguin’ By Billie Melissa Contributing Pop Culture Writer 0 A curveball has been thrown for fans of The Penguin because the show may be getting a second season despite the eight-episode limited series initially being designed to be a one-off. Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024 In their closing minutes, the Gothams threw a curveball by awarding Best Feature to A Different Man, a dark dramedy about an actor with a facial deformity that had otherwise been entirely shut out. Nate Jones, Vulture, 7 Dec. 2024 The Producers Guild has announced the nominees for its annual documentary award, throwing another curveball into an already unexpected race. Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for curveball 

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of curveball was in 1936

Dictionary Entries Near curveball

Cite this Entry

“Curveball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curveball. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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