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
Examples of fastball in a Sentence
He struck him out with a fastball.
Recent Examples on the Web
In terms of pitch mix, the 21-year-old’s fastball plays better than its mid-90s velocity, which bodes well considering the strides other pitchers have made increasing their velo in Boston’s pitching program.
—
Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 21 Dec. 2025
Jenks, who routinely reached 100 mph with his fastball, helped the White Sox win the 2005 World Series, saving four games in six appearances during the postseason run, including the clinching game of the series.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 18 Dec. 2025
But pitchers exploited their weaknesses in different ways, peppering García with fastballs and Castellanos with nearly as many breaking balls as fastballs.
—Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2025
The velocity of Skaggs’ fastball had also dropped between 2016 and 2019, Duquette explained, which gave hitters more time to make a decision and potentially put the ball into play, and put more pressure on Skaggs’ off-speed pitches.
—Sean Emery, Oc Register, 13 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fastball
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Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 21 Dec. 2025
Jenks, who routinely reached 100 mph with his fastball, helped the White Sox win the 2005 World Series, saving four games in six appearances during the postseason run, including the clinching game of the series.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 18 Dec. 2025
But pitchers exploited their weaknesses in different ways, peppering García with fastballs and Castellanos with nearly as many breaking balls as fastballs.
—Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2025
The velocity of Skaggs’ fastball had also dropped between 2016 and 2019, Duquette explained, which gave hitters more time to make a decision and potentially put the ball into play, and put more pressure on Skaggs’ off-speed pitches.
—Sean Emery, Oc Register, 13 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fastball
Cite this Entry
“Fastball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fastball. Accessed 24 Dec. 2025.
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fastball
noun
fast·ball
ˈfas(t)-ˌbȯl
: a baseball pitch thrown at full speed
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