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
Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 19 Mar. 2026
An innate knack for pinball catapults him from reticent adolescent to celebrity savior.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 5 Mar. 2026
Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
Airbnb announced that fans can stay overnight at her home for a limited time in honor of the 20th anniversary of the mega-popular Disney TV show that spawned a movie and endless merchandise, and catapulted Miley Cyrus into fame.
—Paris Barraza, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for catapult
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Noun
Unlike its predecessor, the new carrier will feature electromagnetic catapults instead of steam systems.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 19 Mar. 2026
An innate knack for pinball catapults him from reticent adolescent to celebrity savior.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
But the social psychologists who catapulted to prominence in the early two-thousands were less interested in the richer concept of eudaemonia and more interested in a thinner, hollower, and vastly more individualistic enterprise of happiness, of simply feeling good.
—Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
Airbnb announced that fans can stay overnight at her home for a limited time in honor of the 20th anniversary of the mega-popular Disney TV show that spawned a movie and endless merchandise, and catapulted Miley Cyrus into fame.
—Paris Barraza, USA Today, 27 Mar. 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 3 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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