Verb
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.
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Noun
During the drills the Fujian for the first time conducted aircraft take-off and landing operations at sea using its advanced electromagnetic catapult system (EMALS), regional defense officials said.—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 16 June 2025 Unlike its predecessors, which use a ski-jump flight deck for aircraft takeoffs, the Fujian is equipped with electromagnetic catapults, enabling it to launch heavier aircraft.—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025
Verb
That clarity of focus catapulted it into the spotlight—proving that diffusion, not just invention, drives influence.—Vivian Toh, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025 Yet Granlund, 33, opted to join the Ducks for three seasons, catapulting himself to the top of a list of free-agent signings that hasn’t had a lot of pop or sizzle since Scott Niedermayer’s arrival in 2005.—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 7 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for catapult
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle French or Latin; Middle French catapulte, from Latin catapulta, from Greek katapaltēs, from kata- + pallein to hurl
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