curveball
noun
curve·ball
ˈkərv-ˌbȯl 
: a slow or moderately fast baseball pitch thrown with spin to make it swerve downward and usually to the left when thrown from the right hand or to the right when thrown from the left hand
curveball
verb
Examples of curveball in a Sentence
The batter struck out on a curveball.
Recent Examples on the Web
Baumler throws a spike curveball, which, like Leiter’s changeup, generates its spin from the middle finger.
—
Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 24 Mar. 2026
Glasnow was consistently making Angels hitters swing and miss at his breaking balls – 13 of the Angels’ 18 swings (72%) against his curveball were whiffs and Glasnow drew a 43% whiff rate with his slider.
—Michael Huntley, Oc Register, 23 Mar. 2026
Glasnow’s curveball played a large role, generating 13 whiffs.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2026
Pivetta has long possessed a fastball that moves about as much as any in the game and curveball that bends as sharply as any in the game and an intensity on the mound as feverish as any in the game.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026
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Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 24 Mar. 2026
Glasnow was consistently making Angels hitters swing and miss at his breaking balls – 13 of the Angels’ 18 swings (72%) against his curveball were whiffs and Glasnow drew a 43% whiff rate with his slider.
—Michael Huntley, Oc Register, 23 Mar. 2026
Glasnow’s curveball played a large role, generating 13 whiffs.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2026
Pivetta has long possessed a fastball that moves about as much as any in the game and curveball that bends as sharply as any in the game and an intensity on the mound as feverish as any in the game.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for curveball
Cite this Entry
“Curveball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curveball. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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