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.
This revelation is the film's most shocking curveball and, according to Derrickson, is what truly set the sequel in motion. Megan McCluskey, Time, 18 Oct. 2025 But the real curveball is adding a Neural Accelerator to every GPU core, transplanting the same high-horsepower technology from Apple's Neural Engine into all 10 graphics cores. PC Magazine, 18 Oct. 2025 Scherzer did just that, striking out Randy Arozarena on a curveball. Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025 His changeup was paired alongside his curveball — which froze plenty of hitter —, and his fastball that helped set up the off-speed offerings. Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025 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 22 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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