fastball

noun

fast·​ball ˈfas(t)-ˌbȯl 

: a baseball pitch thrown at full speed and often appearing to rise slightly as it nears the plate

fastballer

ˈfas(t)-ˌbȯ-lər 

noun

Examples of fastball in a Sentence

He struck him out with a fastball.

Recent Examples on the Web

After taking two four-seam fastballs for balls, Miranda reached down to get a 78 mph curveball and sent it into the left field bleachers. —John Shipley, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2025

Bateman pairs a mid-90s fastball with a high-spin curve, a low-80s slider and a changeup. —Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025

Facing right-hander Kevin Gausman with one on and one out, Alonso took a 1-2 fastball right off the outside edge of the plate and drove it into the Cadillac Club suites in right field. —Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2025

Crochet’s sinker averaged 97.9 mph last season and his four-seam fastball averaged 97.2 mph. —Jay Cohen, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing fastball

• cut fastball
• split-fingered fastball

Rhymes for fastball

• aldol
• armhole
• atoll
• awol
• backhaul
• banal
• baseball
• befall
• cabal
• catchall
• cecal
• centrale

Kids Definition

fastball

noun

fast·​ball ˈfas(t)-ˌbȯl 

: a baseball pitch thrown at full speed