curveball
noun
curve·ball
ˈkərv-ˌbȯl 
: 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
The congressional calendar is throwing another curveball into the effort to fund the government past September.
—
Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Some of us do not have Babitz’s unbothered coolness towards life’s curveballs.
—Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
The final nail in the coffin was hammered by Carroll, who sent a first-pitch 84 mph curveball from Slaten 375 feet to right field for a three-run homer.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
This is especially true in your career sector, as this area of your life may be hit with some unexpected curveballs.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for curveball
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.
Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Some of us do not have Babitz’s unbothered coolness towards life’s curveballs.
—Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
The final nail in the coffin was hammered by Carroll, who sent a first-pitch 84 mph curveball from Slaten 375 feet to right field for a three-run homer.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
This is especially true in your career sector, as this area of your life may be hit with some unexpected curveballs.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for curveball
Cite this Entry
“Curveball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curveball. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share