off-speed

adjective

ˈȯf-ˈspēd 

: being slower than usual or expected

throwing off-speed pitches

Examples of off-speed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

King, 31, is in the 90th percentile in pitching run value, 93rd in breaking ball run value and 97th in off-speed run value. — Jim Bowden, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Pearson has hit triple digits routinely and it’s allowed his off-speed pitches to flourish as secondary offerings. — Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026

Skubal struck out the side in the third inning, getting Max Clark to swing through a changeup, Javier Báez to chase a high fastball and Torres to watch an off-speed pitch clip the bottom of the zone. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026

Walker then sent an off-speed pitch from Andrés Muñoz (5-5) to the train tracks atop left field to give the Astros the win. — ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1951, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for off-speed

• accede
• agreed
• airspeed
• alkyd
• bindweed
• chickweed
• concede
• decreed
• duckweed
• exceed
• flaxseed
• impede