pinball machine

noun

: an amusement device in which a ball propelled by a plunger scores points as it rolls down a slanting surface among pins and targets

called also pinball game

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web But, in the other direction, overflowing bins blocked the sidewalks, disgorging all manner of obstructive junk, so that the street resembled the playing field of a pinball machine. Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2023 Complete with an arcade of pinball machines, video games, cornhole, lightning bolt photo ops and a Skittles bouncy house, the pre-party was pure unadulterated joy. Carla Renata, Variety, 15 Mar. 2023 Roses pinball machine back in 1994... Gary Graff, cleveland, 21 Dec. 2020 Modern pinball machines, with enhancements like upgradable software, are vastly more sophisticated than their electromechanical ancestors. IEEE Spectrum, 26 Nov. 2019 Inside: an ever-evolving assortment of everything from hot sauce bottles to pinball machines. Sarah Zlotnick, Country Living, 2 Apr. 2023 An old pinball machine lives in the living room, alongside numerous plants, woven textiles and surfboards. Flora Tsapovsky, SFChronicle.com, 9 Oct. 2020 The McKinney brothers have been called to remove everything from a pinball machine to a hot tub to an 800-pound furnace. Sonel Cutler, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Mar. 2023 Venturini Fendi takes her final bow on an elaborate set shaped like an immersive pinball machine. Nick Haramis Robbie Lawrence Hisato Tasaka, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pinball machine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pinball machine was in 1936

Dictionary Entries Near pinball machine

Cite this Entry

“Pinball machine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pinball%20machine. Accessed 7 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

pinball machine

noun
pin·​ball machine
ˈpin-ˌbȯl-
: a game in which a ball shot by a plunger scores points as it rolls around a slanting surface among pins and targets

More from Merriam-Webster on pinball machine

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!