fastball

noun

fast·​ball ˈfas(t)-ˌbȯl 

: a baseball pitch thrown at full speed and often appearing to rise slightly as it nears the plate

fastballer

ˈfas(t)-ˌbȯ-lər 

noun

Examples of fastball in a Sentence

He struck him out with a fastball.

Recent Examples on the Web

Both the slider and the fastball generated some bad chases in Myrtle Beach. —Keith Law, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026

Armed with a fastball that can soar above 100 mph, the 6-7, 248-pound fireballer can be a bit erratic and may be best suited for the bullpen long-term. —Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026

Snelling, who throws a mid-90s fastball as well as a slider and change-up, is 63rd on Law’s list. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 3 Feb. 2026

In a video posted on her Instagram Stories, Dunne was spotted in the right-handed batter’s box braving some pitches by Skenes, who can hit triple digits with his fastball at a whim. —Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 2 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing fastball

• cut fastball
• split-fingered fastball

Rhymes for fastball

• aldol
• armhole
• atoll
• awol
• backhaul
• banal
• baseball
• befall
• cabal
• catchall
• cecal
• centrale

Kids Definition

fastball

noun

fast·​ball ˈfas(t)-ˌbȯl 

: a baseball pitch thrown at full speed