volley

1 of 2

noun

vol·​ley ˈvä-lē 

plural volleys

1

a(1)

: the flight of the ball (as in volleyball or tennis) or its course before striking the ground

also : a return of the ball before it touches the ground

(2)

: a kick of the ball in soccer before it rebounds

(3)

: the exchange of the shuttlecock in badminton following the serve

b

: a flight of missiles (such as arrows)

c

: simultaneous discharge of a number of missile weapons

d

: one round per gun in a battery fired as soon as a gun is ready without regard to order

2

a

: a burst or emission of many things or a large amount at once

received a volley of angry letters

b

: a burst of simultaneous or immediately sequential nerve impulses passing to an end organ, synapse, or center

volley

2 of 2

verb

volleyed; volleying

transitive verb

1

: to propel (an object) while in the air and before touching the ground

especially : to hit (a tennis ball) on the volley

2

: to discharge in or as if in a volley

intransitive verb

1

: to make a volley

specifically : to volley an object of play (as in tennis)

2

: to become discharged in or as if in a volley

volleyer noun

Synonyms

Noun

• barrage
• flurry

Examples of volley in a Sentence

Noun

The tank was hit by a volley of bullets.

She was overwhelmed by a volley of questions from the press.

Verb

She volleyed the shot over the net.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

There is another volley in the ongoing legal battle between Priscilla Presley and her ex-business partners Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko, according to The Hollywood Reporter. —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2025

Khachanov put the volley in the net, giving Shelton the second set. —Lukas Weese, New York Times, 8 Aug. 2025

Verb

Swiftly volleying between biting gossip in the kitchen and slick manipulation at the table, this extended scene represents the best of Kechiche and Ghalya Lacroix’s writing, as well as the film’s loose, limber style of shooting and editing. —Guy Lodge, Variety, 13 Aug. 2025

The Court of Appeals is expected to reach a decision on the issue by early August, and should judges rule against the president, the administration is likely to appeal the decision again, at which point it will be volleyed to the Supreme Court for a final ruling. —Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 31 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French volee flight, from voler to fly, from Old French, from Latin volare

First Known Use

Noun

1573, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Verb

1591, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Phrases Containing volley

• drop volley
• half volley

Rhymes for volley

• colley
• collie
• dolly
• folly
• golly
• holly
• jolley
• jolly
• lolly
• mollie
• molly
• ollie

Kids Definition

volley

1 of 2 noun

vol·​ley ˈväl-ē 

plural volleys

1

: a group of missiles (as arrows or bullets) passing through the air

2

: a firing of a number of weapons (as rifles) at the same time

3

: a bursting forth of many things at once

a volley of praise

4

: the act of volleying

volley

2 of 2 verb

volleyed; volleying

1

: to shoot in a volley

2

: to hit an object (as a ball) while it is in the air before it touches the ground

Medical Definition

volley

noun

vol·​ley ˈväl-ē 

plural volleys

: a burst of simultaneous or immediately sequential nerve impulses passing to an end organ, synapse, or center