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
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 29 Apr. 2026
Redesigns, better engines, and improved stealth and aerodynamics culminated in its first catapult launch test in 2021.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 12 May 2026
The Ardennes campaign was the first real sign of her development — catapulting her into the ‘it girl’ of world cycling after taking a shock victory at Amstel Gold, a race she was not even supposed to enter, but for team illness.
—Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for catapult
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Noun
Popular across Europe between roughly 1350 and 1600, the ballistics could be fired from not only mechanical catapults and trebuchets, but explosive cannons.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 29 Apr. 2026
Redesigns, better engines, and improved stealth and aerodynamics culminated in its first catapult launch test in 2021.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
The clash catapulted Osborn − an industrial mechanic and military veteran − onto the national stage.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 12 May 2026
The Ardennes campaign was the first real sign of her development — catapulting her into the ‘it girl’ of world cycling after taking a shock victory at Amstel Gold, a race she was not even supposed to enter, but for team illness.
—Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 9 May 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 13 May. 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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