catapult

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

Sometimes, instead of catapults or trebuchets, the attacking army would use miners.

— william gurstelle, Popular Mechanics, "How to Storm a Castle," 10 Aug. 2017
For most teens, this sudden catapult into prestige and responsibility might prove daunting.

— aaron randle, kansascity, "Parkville’s Miss Teen USA: Her post-win feast, Amal Clooney and why she chose KU," 2 Aug. 2017
But the loss wasn’t so much a setback for the team as a catapult.

— rebecca lurye, courant.com, "All-Girls Engineering Team Won Sikorsky STEM Challenge," 29 July 2017
The Navy has attributed the delays and budget overruns to the ship's state-of-the-art systems and technology, including electromagnetic launch systems for jets and drones that will replace steam catapults.

— kim chatelain, NOLA.com, "Apollo 11 moon dust bag sells for $1.8 million at auction: report," 22 July 2017
In addition, the carrier hasn’t yet been cleared to launch fighters carrying extra fuel in wing tanks because of software issues with the new electromagnetic catapult system that cause excessive stresses at launch.

— justin sink, Bloomberg.com, "Trump, on New Aircraft Carrier, Urges Military Funds Boost," 22 July 2017
The Navy has attributed the delays and budget overruns to the ship's state-of-the-art systems and technology, including electromagnetic launch systems for jets and drones that will replace steam catapults.

— darlene superville, chicagotribune.com, "Trump helps commission $12.9 billion aircraft carrier," 22 July 2017
The Navy has blamed the delays and budget overruns on the ship’s advanced systems and technology, including electromagnetic launch systems for jets and drones that will replace steam catapults.

— Washington Post, "Trump: USS Ford is ‘100,000-ton message to the world’," 22 July 2017
But the technology, which includes electromagnetic catapults, the ability to launch a third more aircraft than older carriers and additional arresting gear, has caused some concerns in Washington.

— Fox News, "Take a look at the USS Gerald R. Ford, America's new $13B aircraft carrier," 19 July 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! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1577

See Words from the same year

Other Military Terms

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

catapult

verb

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

In time, catapult bombardment could reduce even a thick wall to rubble.

— william gurstelle, Popular Mechanics, "How to Storm a Castle," 10 Aug. 2017
Leave it to Disney to catapult something that’s already ubiquitous to new heights.

— marielle wakim, Los Angeles Magazine, "Disneyland Is Selling Rose Gold Minnie Ears, and the Internet Is Losing Its Mind," 10 Aug. 2017
The day the United States dares tease our nation with a nuclear weapon and sanctions, the mainland United States will be catapulted into an unimaginable sea of fire.

— veronica hilbring, Essence.com, "Threats, Missiles And A Lot Of Embarrassment: What You Need To Know About Trump And North Korea," 10 Aug. 2017
Breaux's breakout 2015 season catapulted him into the top five of our player rankings last season.

— larry holder, NOLA.com, "New Orleans Saints' Top 20 players on the 2017 roster," 15 July 2017
PSI’s innovative teaching methods are catapulting students to new levels of achievement.

— charlie wood, The Christian Science Monitor, "Looking for leaders in physics education? Try New Jersey.," 12 July 2017
A Newsweek cover story last year investigated how the fight to end period shaming—and the work of policymakers and activists alike—had catapulted the issue into the mainstream.

— abigail jones, MSNBC Newsweek, "The Period Movement: Meet the Men Fighting to Stop Menstruation-Shaming in the Developing World," 12 July 2017
The issue was catapulted into public consciousness in October 2015 by an exhaustive investigation of concurrent surgery at Harvard’s famed Massachusetts General Hospital by the Boston Globe.

— sandra g. boodman, Washington Post, "Is your surgeon double-booked?," 10 July 2017
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

First Known Use of catapult

1848

catapult Synonyms

Synonyms

cast, throw, chuck, dash, fire, fling, heave, hurl, hurtle, launch, lob, loft, peg, pelt, pitch, sling, toss

Related Words

bowl, dart, flip, gun, hook, pass, roll, shoot; buck, eject, impel, precipitate, project, propel, rifle, thrust

Other Military Terms

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

CATAPULT Defined for English Language Learners

catapult

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