curveball

noun

curve·​ball ˈkərv-ˌbȯl How to pronounce curveball (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The development of his changeup and incorporating a sinker has given Brown more to work with beyond his go-to elite fastball-curveball combination. Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2026 The third frame was his sharpest, with Snell pitching around a two-out error from Kim and punching out Jorge Mateo on a curveball to end his night. Katie Woo, New York Times, 10 May 2026 Alvarez struck out in all three of his at-bats against Abbott, twice swinging at curveballs well out of the zone. Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 10 May 2026 Resuming the series after a rainout Saturday, Caminero hit a curveball into the last row of Monster seats in the first for his 11th homer. ABC News, 10 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for curveball

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of curveball was in 1936

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Curveball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curveball. Accessed 19 May. 2026.

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