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.
Krasner throws a variety of pitches: a four-seam fastball, a curveball, a slider and two types of change ups. Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 20 June 2025 But there were also a handful of real curveballs, including two songs from his 2003 rock opera Greendale, and two deeply obscure CSNY tunes from their latter-day reunion albums. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2025 Yamamoto did get away with a fat curveball to Jackson Merrill. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 June 2025 These small practices help people feel more anchored in a world full of curveballs. Daisy Auger-Domínguez, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Curveball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curveball. Accessed 25 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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