in the dirt

idiom

baseball, of a pitch
: having hit the ground near home plate before reaching the catcher
He swung and missed at a curveball in the dirt.

Examples of in the dirt in a Sentence

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.
His momentum carried him directly into the wall as his left foot planted in the dirt. Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025 On Sunday, Merrill flailed at two sliders in the dirt from Tyler Glasnow before looking at a third down the middle for strike three to strand a runner in the first inning. Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Aug. 2025 In 1951, Landers, while talking with four others about creating a new riding club, used a stick and carved a circle in the dirt. Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Aug. 2025 The count was full, and Harper tried to check his swing as Tigers’ relief pitcher Will Vest’s breaking ball was in the dirt. Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for in the dirt

Cite this Entry

“In the dirt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20dirt. Accessed 10 Sep. 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!