ricochet
noun
British also -ˌshet\
Definition of ricochet
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a glancing rebound (as of a projectile off a flat surface) the ricochet of the bullet off the wall also : an object that ricochets He was hit by a ricochet.
ricochet
verb
\
also ricochetted\ˈri-kə-ˌshe-təd
\;
ricocheting\ˈri-kə-ˌshā-iŋ
\
also ricochetting\ˈri-kə-ˌshe-tiŋ
\
Definition of ricochet (Entry 2 of 2)
: to bounce or skip with or as if with a glancing rebound The bullet that hit President Reagan had ricocheted off the presidential limousine.— David Fisher The ball ricochets at a right angle, falling with force into the first baseman's glove …— Bob Drury The chute snaps open, the sound ricocheting through the gorge like a gunshot, and McGuire is soaring, carving S turns into the air, swooping over a winding creek.— Karl Taro Greenfeld
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Synonyms for ricochet
Synonyms: Verb
bounce, carom, glance, rebound, skim, skip
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Examples of ricochet in a Sentence
Noun
He was hit by a ricochet. the ricochet of the bullet off the wallVerb
The bullet ricocheted off the wall. the ball ricocheted off the fielder's glove and went over the fence for a home run
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
That would have a ricochet effect for American consumers, weakening pension funds and 401(k) investments, as stocks suffer losses. — Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, "Trade wars are damaging, so why is Trump fighting one with China?," 13 July 2018 The sounds and ricochets seemed to be coming from all directions. — Noah Weiland, New York Times, "9 Minutes of Terror, 12 Months of Recovery: Inside the Republican Baseball Team’s Return," 10 June 2018 The ricochet is too hot to handle, though, and is turned over the ball. — Andrew Das, New York Times, "Germany’s World Cup Is Saved in the Blink of an Eye (and Flick of a Foot)," 24 June 2018 The helmet weighed three pounds and offered protection against dirt, debris, ricochets, and light shrapnel. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "The Army’s New Plastic Helmet Weighs Less Than 3 Pounds," 14 June 2018 He was grazed in the side, and then struck again by the bullet’s ricochet. — New York Times, "On a Spring Texan Morning, a Sound Heard Too Often at Schools Across America: Bang. Bang. Bang.," 19 May 2018 The premiere's music ricochets between recognizable favorites, like Houston's anthem and Chaka Khan, to the '70s disco of the balls, to Kate Bush's crooning. — refinery29.com, "Inside The Secrets Of Pose's Exuberant '80s Soundtrack," 7 June 2018 After review, the ricochet off Stastny’s glove was deemed a good goal and the Jets took a 1-0 lead. — Kristen Nelson, SI.com, "Stanley Cup Playoff Roundup: Capitals Edge Penguins; Jets Roll Past Predators," 6 May 2018 The ricochet of information followed a familiar pattern during the Trump presidency, as the White House and its allies push back against the sprawling investigations into Russian meddling. — Marshall Cohen, CNN, "Five times an incendiary pro-Trump claim on Russia fell flat," 19 May 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Midway through the third period, Buffalo winger Jason Pominville clobbered a slapshot from above the left faceoff circle that struck Toronto goalie Frederik Andersen in the chest and ricocheted away. — Alex Prewitt, SI.com, "Ambiguous Goalie Interference Rules Continue to Bemuse NHL Ahead of Playoffs," 11 Apr. 2018 Left uncorrected, the glitch could have ricocheted through the global economy, corrupting not just driving directions but stock trades too. — Garrett M. Graff, WIRED, "The New Arms Race Threatening to Explode in Space," 26 June 2018 The bullet ricocheted and grazed Abdel-Ghani's brother in the leg. — Michelle Hunter, NOLA.com, "Brother wounds brother by firing gun during fight: JPSO," 17 May 2018 All across the country, groups came together in city parks and downtown squares, and photos quickly started ricocheting around social media. — Ellen Knickmeyer, BostonGlobe.com, "Major cities, tiny towns host immigration policy protests," 30 June 2018 All across the country, groups came together in city parks and downtown squares, and photos quickly started ricocheting around social media. — Gillian Flaccus And Amy Taxin, chicagotribune.com, "Thousands march in cities large and small over immigration policy, family separations," 30 June 2018 The ball ricocheted off the top bar and Viola groaned, along with the rest of the crowd. — Elena Weissmann, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Soccer fans gather at Nomad Nacional to drink beer, do yoga and watch the World Cup," 16 June 2018 The ball ricocheted off Rojas’ hand and caught him in the face. — Andre C. Fernandez, miamiherald, "Needing a lengthy start, Marlins No. 1 starter delivered against the lowly Orioles," 15 June 2018 The shares and options for both companies have ricocheted on the twists and turns of whether regulators would approve the consolidation. — Gunjan Banerji, WSJ, "Hedge Funds Poised to Be Winners in AT&T-Time Warner Deal," 13 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ricochet.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for ricochet
ricochet
noun
English Language Learners Definition of ricochet
(Entry 1 of 2)
: something (such as a bullet or stone) that ricochets off a surface
: the action of ricocheting off a surface
ricochet
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of ricochet (Entry 2 of 2)
: to bounce off a surface and continue moving in a different direction
See the full definition for ricochet in the English Language Learners Dictionary
ricochet
verb
\
Kids Definition of ricochet
: to bounce off at an angle … the stones and shattered metal fragments ricocheted about dangerously.— Brian Jacques, Redwall
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