cannonball

1 of 2

noun

can·​non·​ball ˈka-nən-ˌbȯl How to pronounce cannonball (audio)
1
: a usually round solid missile made for firing from a cannon
2
: a jump into water made with the arms holding the knees tight against the chest
3
: a hard flat tennis service
4
: an express train

cannonball

2 of 2

verb

cannonballed; cannonballing; cannonballs

intransitive verb

: to travel with great speed

Examples of cannonball in a Sentence

Verb a dune buggy came recklessly cannonballing down the crowded beach
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Back in the ring, a bull shoots out of the metal door like a cannonball, and the audience cheers. Toby Muse, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2024 However, his beloved horse is struck by a cannonball and dies instantly. Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 30 Jan. 2024 Other daredevils include trapeze artists, trampoline bouncers, aerialists, and even a human cannonball, Skyler Miser, who will launch herself out of a rocket at 65 mph for kicks and giggles. Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 25 Jan. 2024 Historical finds include bullets, cannonballs and even swords, CBS affiliate WLTX reports. CBS News, 14 Nov. 2023 In 2016, Hurricane Matthew unearthed Civil War cannonballs from the sand on Folly Beach. CBS News, 14 Nov. 2023 In one shot, Napoleon is charging the city walls when a cannonball strikes his horse’s chest, sending the animal and its rider somersaulting backward. Peter Debruge, Variety, 15 Nov. 2023 Hundreds of shoppers also recommend picking up this JBL waterproof Bluetooth speaker for summer days spent relaxing by the water without worrying about a cannonball short-circuiting your music. Ariel Scotti, Peoplemag, 30 June 2023 For the rest of the 18th and early 19th centuries, mostly enslaved African Americans labored there, crafting items like stoves, pots and cannonballs in conditions that led to spinal injuries or inhaling furnace fumes. Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Aug. 2023
Verb
Made from a nylon and elastane blend, there is enough comfort and support to cannonball into your favorite lake. Erinne Magee, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2023 Solmund Nystabakk, 40, who watched his son cannonball into the fjord by the Edvard Munch museum, said that the moment a wild animal appeared out of its natural habitat, people projected personality onto it. New York Times, 19 Aug. 2022 For anyone who’s so constrained but still longing to sip a cocktail while soaking on a pool step or to cannonball in after a long day, these little dippers can appeal. Allison Duncan, WSJ, 29 July 2022 Go swimming in Copper Canyon where folks cannonball from the rocks, or spend a quiet day exploring the details of the shoreline. Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 17 July 2021 Excitement is important and the Volvo XC40 is like the guy at the party who showed up just to cannonball into the pool from the roof. Austin Irwin, Car and Driver, 9 May 2021 Over the weekend, David, Victoria, and their kids joined Elton John and David Furnish on a yacht trip in the South of France for an Instagram-worthy day of bonding, sunbathing, and cannonballing into the sea. Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, 26 Aug. 2019 In February 2017, Ford cannonballed into the market, investing $1 billion self-driving startup Argo. Alex Davies, WIRED, 31 May 2018 In what can be considered typical Harbaugh fashion at this point, the Wolverines coach went ahead and cannonballed into the poll wearing his trademark khakis and polo. Chris Kwiecinski, ajc, 30 Sep. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cannonball.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1899, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cannonball was in 1606

Dictionary Entries Near cannonball

Cite this Entry

“Cannonball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cannonball. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cannonball

noun
can·​non·​ball
ˈkan-ən-ˌbȯl
: a usually round solid missile for firing from a cannon
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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