grand slam

noun

1

baseball : a home run hit with the bases loaded

… the Dodgers' Eric Karros has a shot to become the first player in history to get 200 career home runs without a grand slam.

—Tim Kurkjian

2

a usually Grand Slam

(1)

: the winning of all four of the most significant championships in a particular sport in the same year

—used especially in tennis and golf

… with … Nadal spoiling Federer's bid for the Grand Slam by beating him on the clay at the French Open.

—Sean Gregory

"And so to St. Andrews to begin the quest for the Grand Slam," he [Bobby Jones] wrote.

—Dave Anderson

also : the winning of all four such championships during the course of one's career

Woods … could become the youngest player to win the career Grand Slam, at age 24.

—Clifton Brown

(2)

: one of the championships that comprise a Grand Slam : major entry 2 sense 6

"Last year she was a little hungrier," says Davenport's coach, Robert Van't Hof. "She hadn't won a Grand Slam yet."

—Diane K. Shah

—often used before another noun

a Grand Slam event/tournament

Graf was 17 when she won the first of her 21 Grand Slam titles here in 1987 …

—Robin Finn

b

: a clean sweep or total success

3

: the winning of all the tricks in one hand of a card game (such as bridge)

Once, looking over Grace's shoulder, I saw her make a grand slam in clubs when the highest trump card in her hand was the nine.

—William Maxwell

Examples of grand slam in a Sentence

He made a grand slam.

Recent Examples on the Web

Joey Beechner, a senior second baseman, blasted a grand slam in West Orange’s big inning. —Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Feb. 2026

Much of that was forged alongside Serena, the winningest women’s player ever with 23 grand slam singles titles who may also be contemplating her own return to tennis. —Jay Plotkin, Austin American Statesman, 18 Feb. 2026

The walk-off grand slam against the Athletics on May 3. —Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026

Tyce Armstrong hit three grand slams in his first game with Baylor. —Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for grand slam

• abram
• ashram
• begam
• buckram
• doorjamb
• exam
• goddam
• grandam
• priam
• program
• programme
• wolfram

Kids Definition

grand slam

noun

: a home run hit with three runners on base