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

Relievers Chase Shugart and Jonathan Bowlan were among those who played catch with Orion Kerkering, who jokingly told them to throw their sweepers and curveballs rather than just tossing. — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026

But Miguel Vargas struck out swinging on a full-count curveball from Pierce Johnson, stranding runners on the corners. — CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026

But every fighting game also needs a few curveballs to give it some charm. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 11 Aug. 2026

Stocks have been able to take almost all of the curveballs thrown their way without a hitch. — Fred Imbert, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing curveball

• throw (someone) a curve/curveball

Rhymes for curveball

• aerosol
• alcohol
• arbitral
• basketball
• butanol
• cannonball
• carbinol
• cortisol
• ethanol
• fireball
• gasohol
• gossypol