knuckleball
noun
knuck·le·ball
ˈnə-kəl-ˌbȯl 
: a slow baseball pitch that moves erratically and unpredictably and that is thrown with little spin by gripping the ball with the knuckles or the tips of the fingers pressed against the top
Examples of knuckleball in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This year, major league pitchers have thrown only 15 knuckleballs.
—
Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 19 June 2025
Maybe Matt Waldron comes up and trusts his knuckleball.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 June 2025
Two others, Tim Wakefield (186) and Charlie Hough (174), were knuckleball pitchers whose success depended on a pitch that behaved irrationally and independently.
—Gqlshare, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2025
Wakefield, best known as a knuckleball pitcher and philanthropist, played 19 major league seasons with the Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates, winning 200 games.
—Erik Matuszewski, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for knuckleball
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Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 19 June 2025
Maybe Matt Waldron comes up and trusts his knuckleball.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 June 2025
Two others, Tim Wakefield (186) and Charlie Hough (174), were knuckleball pitchers whose success depended on a pitch that behaved irrationally and independently.
—Gqlshare, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2025
Wakefield, best known as a knuckleball pitcher and philanthropist, played 19 major league seasons with the Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates, winning 200 games.
—Erik Matuszewski, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for knuckleball
Cite this Entry
“Knuckleball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knuckleball. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
knuckleball
noun
knuck·le·ball
ˈnək-əl-ˌbȯl
: a baseball pitch gripped with the knuckles or fingertips and thrown with very little spin
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