slingshot

noun

sling·​shot ˈsliŋ-ˌshät 

1

: a forked stick with an elastic band attached for shooting small stones

2

a

: a maneuver in auto racing in which a drafting car accelerates past the car in front by taking advantage of reserve power

b

: a dragster in which the driver sits behind the rear wheels

Examples of slingshot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

David slayed the giant with a slingshot; Esther by her cunning saved her people. —Gwen Faulkenberry, arkansasonline.com, 12 Dec. 2024

Supporters of Khan responded with slingshots and hurled rocks at security forces. —Matthew Impelli, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024

Without making his basketball success biblical, what a way to frame it: Broome building a slingshot over years and blasting away at his limitations. —Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025

Since it was launched in 2018, the Parker Solar Probe has been using a series of flybys of Venus to carry out slingshot maneuvers that have shifted its trajectory closer and closer to the Sun. —David Szondy, New Atlas, 2 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for slingshot

• allot
• barat
• begot
• besought
• bethought
• bloodshot
• boycott
• buckshot
• crackpot
• croat
• culottes
• dashpot

Kids Definition

slingshot

noun

sling·​shot ˈsliŋ-ˌshät 

: a forked stick with an elastic band attached for shooting small stones