Illustration of catapult
- catapult 1
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)
catapulted; catapulting; catapults
: to throw or launch by or as if by a catapult
: to become catapulted
he catapulted to fame
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
Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 21 Apr. 2026
The ship's magnetic catapults are a key component in giving the Ford a leg up from the older Nimitz ships in launching aircraft.
—ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
Yet his populist policies and emphasis on the economy during his 2024 campaign helped catapult him back to the White House.
—Michelle L. Price, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for catapult
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Noun
Navy requirements include a combat radius approaching 1,000 miles—roughly 25 percent greater than current fleet fighters—while maintaining compatibility with existing carrier catapults and arresting gear.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 21 Apr. 2026
The ship's magnetic catapults are a key component in giving the Ford a leg up from the older Nimitz ships in launching aircraft.
—ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
Over the 15 years since, the outgoing CEO has never forgotten that lesson, and Apple has catapulted to trillion-dollar success.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
Yet his populist policies and emphasis on the economy during his 2024 campaign helped catapult him back to the White House.
—Michelle L. Price, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for catapult
Cite this Entry
“Catapult.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catapult. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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 verb1
: to throw or launch by or as if by a catapult
2
: to become catapulted
he catapulted to fame
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