catapult

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noun cat·a·pult \ˈka-tə-ˌpəlt, -ˌpu̇lt\

Definition of catapult

1 : an ancient military device for hurling missiles
2 : a device for launching an airplane at flying speed (as from an aircraft carrier)

See catapult defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of catapult from the Web

Hit or miss, someone's got to bring it back to the catapult for the next lucky player.

— Time, "Where Did America's Summer Jobs Go?", 29 June 2017
The decision to pursue immature catapult technology has been a boon to contractors, particularly San Diego-based General Atomics.

— sandiegouniontribune.com, "How Not to Build a Ship: The USS Ford", 7 June 2017
The ropes and wooden base of the starting gate correspond with the development of the catapult, first mentioned in Athens in 355 BC.

— janelle peters, The Atlantic, "The Device That Democratized the Foot Race", 26 May 2017
On the agenda: Water-ballon catapult contests, cake decorating, performances from singer Jess Glynne, ventriloquist Nina Conti and magician Lance Corporal Richard Jones, who won Britain's Got Talent last year.

— jayme deerwester, USA TODAY, "Prince William, Duchess Kate, Prince Harry throw 'Party at the Palace'", 13 May 2017
According to both Hendrix and the CRS report, the larger issue on the new carriers at this point is not the catapult, but the new advanced arresting gear system that catches planes as they land.

— dan lamothe, Washington Post, "‘You have to be Albert Einstein to figure it out’: Trump targets the Navy’s new aircraft catapult", 11 May 2017
Students enrolled in the aerospace program design and build rockets, parachutes and lunar landers, while students in the mechanical-engineering programs design and build roller coasters, sails and catapults.

— barbara haislip, WSJ, "Startup Taps Into Children’s Passion for Math", 30 Apr. 2017
Lucky for us, there are paparazzi shots to prove it—and both parties have credited the liaison with helping catapult Kim into the spotlight.

— katie calautti, Vanities, "Hollywood's Forgotten Flings", 26 Apr. 2017
Future carriers are expected to be equipped with steam or electromagnetic launch catapults.

— kyle mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "China Launches its First Homemade Aircraft Carrier", 26 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'catapult'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Illustration of catapult

Origin and Etymology of catapult

Medieval French or Latin; Medieval French catapulte, from Latin catapulta, from Greek katapaltēs, from kata- + pallein to hurl

NEW!

First Known Use: 1577

See Words from the same year

Other Military Terms

bivouac, logistics, petard, salient, sally, supernumerary, tactical

catapult

verb cat·a·pult

Definition of catapult

transitive verb
: to throw or launch by or as if by a catapult
intransitive verb
: to become catapulted he catapulted to fame

See catapult defined for English-language learners

Examples of catapult in a Sentence

They catapulted rocks toward the castle.
The publicity catapulted her CD to the top of the charts.
The novel catapulted him from unknown to best-selling author.
He catapulted to fame after his first book was published.
Her career was catapulting ahead.

Recent Examples of catapult from the Web

Porsche avers that the new GT2 RS will catapult to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds and top out at an astronomical 211 mph.

— steve siler, Car and Driver, "2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS: Lots of Power, Lots of Want", 30 June 2017
About halfway through the novel, Roy catapults us from Anjum’s life to a seemingly unrelated one, that of a young woman named Tilo, also the product of an unorthodox upbringing.

— colette bancroft, star-telegram.com, "Arundhati Roy returns after 20 years, and it’s worth the wait", 26 June 2017
That catapulted Day into a big junior season and two dozen scholarship offers.

— kyle neddenriep, Indianapolis Star, "NFL player Sheldon Day gives back to Warren Central community", 25 June 2017
Amazon agreed to buy Whole Foods for $13.7 billion on Friday in a deal that catapults the e-commerce powerhouse into hundreds of physical stores.

— charles stein, Bloomberg.com, "Berkowitz Says Amazon Deal Shows Value of Physical Retailing", 16 June 2017
The move catapulted the mother and son to the front lines of an international debate.

— manya brachear pashman, chicagotribune.com, "Son of immigration activist who sought sanctuary in Chicago church to graduate high school", 14 June 2017
Heather Mizeur couldn’t in 2014: energize the most liberal wing of the Democratic Party in a way that catapults them to the nomination.

— ovetta wiggins, Washington Post, "At least two Democrats seek progressive mantle in Md. governor’s race", 12 June 2017
And while foundations that perfect skin and highlighters that catapult luminosity are an easy sell, bloated eye-shadow palettes are much more complicated.

— ashley weatherford, The Cut, "Urban Decay’s New Naked Palette Is Insanely Flattering", 12 June 2017
Trump’s new focus on apprenticeship programs even sounds like a continuation of his reality TV program, aptly named The Apprentice, which catapulted him (and his daughter) to early 2000s fame.

— vanityfair.com, VanityFair.com, "As Comeygate Deepens, Ivanka Offers a Bipartisan Distraction", 10 June 2017

First Known Use of catapult

1848

Other Military Terms

bivouac, logistics, petard, salient, sally, supernumerary, tactical

CATAPULT Defined for English Language Learners

catapult

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noun

Definition of catapult for English Language Learners

: an ancient weapon used for throwing large rocks
: a device for launching an airplane from the deck of an aircraft carrier

catapult

verb

Definition of catapult for English Language Learners

: to throw (something) with a catapult
: to cause (someone or something) to quickly move up or ahead or to a better position
: to quickly move up or ahead : to quickly advance to a better position

CATAPULT Defined for Kids

catapult

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noun cat·a·pult \ˈka-tə-ˌpəlt\

Definition of catapult for Students

1 : an ancient military machine for hurling stones and arrows
2 : a device for launching an airplane from the deck of a ship

catapult

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verb cat·a·pult

Definition of catapult for Students

catapulted

;

catapulting

1 : to throw by or as if by a catapult She catapulted herself out of the door. — Louise Fitzhugh, Harriet the Spy
2 : to quickly advance The movie role catapulted her to fame.