catapult

1 of 2

noun

cat·​a·​pult ˈka-tə-ˌpəlt 

-ˌpu̇lt

1

: an ancient military device for hurling missiles

2

: a device for launching an airplane at flying speed (as from an aircraft carrier)

Illustration of catapult

• catapult 1

catapult

2 of 2

verb

catapulted; catapulting; catapults

transitive verb

: to throw or launch by or as if by a catapult

intransitive verb

: to become catapulted

he catapulted to fame

Synonyms of catapult

Verb

• throw
• hurl
• toss
• fling

Examples of catapult in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Because what action fan doesn't appreciate a good catapult crushing? — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026

Enabling longer-range drone missions with heavier payloads The electromagnetic catapult system aboard the Type 076 is expected to expand the range of aircraft the ship can deploy, supporting both manned fighter jets and larger unmanned aircraft. — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 2 Aug. 2026

Verb

The print catapulted its shares more than 18% higher in premarket trading Wednesday. — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026

The cast of the movie is largely what made Grease such a huge success, and in the process, playing the role of Danny Zuko helped catapult John Travolta into superstardom after Grease premiered in theaters on June 16, 1978. — Diana Pearl, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

First Known Use

Noun

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1848, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for catapult

• subadult
• adult
• consult
• exult
• insult
• occult
• result
• cult

Kids Definition

catapult

1 of 2 noun

cat·​a·​pult ˈkat-ə-ˌpəlt 

-ˌpu̇lt

1

: an ancient military device for hurling missiles

2

: a device for launching an airplane (as from the deck of an aircraft carrier)

catapult

2 of 2 verb

1

: to throw or launch by or as if by a catapult

2

: to become catapulted

he catapulted to fame