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.
Your social circle could throw you a curveball, Aquarius. Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2025 Either way, the ever-evolving defensive line puzzle continues to throw curveballs at general manager Brandon Beane. Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025 But politics is dealing with the unforeseen, and an almighty curveball was looming over the Atlantic. Charlie Campbell, Time, 30 Oct. 2025 Novo Nordisk , the Lilly rival behind diabetes and weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, has thrown Pfizer ’s acquisition of obesity biotech Metsera a curveball. Jim Cramer, CNBC, 30 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 11 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!