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
Examples of fastball in a Sentence
He struck him out with a fastball.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Rangers believe that an increase in Rocker’s changeup usage can benefit his mid-to-high 90s four-seam fastball.
—
Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 26 Feb. 2026
Pitch tracking on the MLB website initially showed Imai threw five fastballs and five changeups.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 26 Feb. 2026
Only three of his last 14 pitches were fastballs.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 26 Feb. 2026
After averaging 1 mph less on his fastball during an up-and-down 2025 season compared to his stellar rookie campaign, the velocity flashing on the scoreboard at Sloan Park was notable during Imanaga’s first Cactus League start of the spring.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fastball
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.
Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 26 Feb. 2026
Pitch tracking on the MLB website initially showed Imai threw five fastballs and five changeups.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 26 Feb. 2026
Only three of his last 14 pitches were fastballs.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 26 Feb. 2026
After averaging 1 mph less on his fastball during an up-and-down 2025 season compared to his stellar rookie campaign, the velocity flashing on the scoreboard at Sloan Park was notable during Imanaga’s first Cactus League start of the spring.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fastball
Cite this Entry
“Fastball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fastball. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fastball
noun
fast·ball
ˈfas(t)-ˌbȯl
: a baseball pitch thrown at full speed
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
