pinball machine
noun
: an amusement device in which a ball propelled by a plunger scores points as it rolls down a slanting surface among pins and targets
called also pinball game
Examples of pinball machine in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The original 1993 Broadway musical, with its flying Tommy and galloping pinball machine, was a visual groundbreaker, warmed by excellent performances.
—
Jesse Green, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
The businesses donate between $125 to $300 a month to help support the cost of supplies, most within easy reach of restrooms, pinball machines or cash registers.
—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2024
Cobra Arcade Bar: A vintage video game and pinball machine bar with cocktails and craft beer.
—The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024
His connection with Jordi Alba was fun to watch, almost like a human pinball machine.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2024
This location has all the cool decor along with pinball machines, merchandise to buy and according to the locals, great coffee, in Long Beach on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024.
—Richard Guzman, Orange County Register, 16 Jan. 2024
Ferguson was very erratic last season, at times shutting down opponents and at times getting lit up more than a pinball machine.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2024
Be sure to check out the rows of pinball machines inside the popular Mexican restaurant Holy Frijoles, grab a handcrafted drink at the Bluebird Cocktail Room and stop by The Charmery for homemade ice cream in creative flavors reminiscent of High Hopes or Betty Rae’s in Kansas City.
—Natalie Wallington, Kansas City Star, 23 Jan. 2024
Powering this was a relatively simple set of silicon with an 8-bit Motorola 6809 microprocessor at its heart, the same processor behind arcade classics like Robotron: 2084 and many later Williams pinball machines.
—Tim Stevens, Ars Technica, 4 Jan. 2024
Jesse Green, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
The businesses donate between $125 to $300 a month to help support the cost of supplies, most within easy reach of restrooms, pinball machines or cash registers.
—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2024
Cobra Arcade Bar: A vintage video game and pinball machine bar with cocktails and craft beer.
—The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024
His connection with Jordi Alba was fun to watch, almost like a human pinball machine.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2024
This location has all the cool decor along with pinball machines, merchandise to buy and according to the locals, great coffee, in Long Beach on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024.
—Richard Guzman, Orange County Register, 16 Jan. 2024
Ferguson was very erratic last season, at times shutting down opponents and at times getting lit up more than a pinball machine.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2024
Be sure to check out the rows of pinball machines inside the popular Mexican restaurant Holy Frijoles, grab a handcrafted drink at the Bluebird Cocktail Room and stop by The Charmery for homemade ice cream in creative flavors reminiscent of High Hopes or Betty Rae’s in Kansas City.
—Natalie Wallington, Kansas City Star, 23 Jan. 2024
Powering this was a relatively simple set of silicon with an 8-bit Motorola 6809 microprocessor at its heart, the same processor behind arcade classics like Robotron: 2084 and many later Williams pinball machines.
—Tim Stevens, Ars Technica, 4 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pinball machine.' 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
1936, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near pinball machine
Cite this Entry
“Pinball machine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pinball%20machine. Accessed 15 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
pinball machine
noun
pin·ball machine
ˈpin-ˌbȯl-
: a game in which a ball shot by a plunger scores points as it rolls around a slanting surface among pins and targets
More from Merriam-Webster on pinball machine
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pinball machine
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