slingshot
noun
sling·shot
ˈsliŋ-ˌshät 
1
: a forked stick with an elastic band attached for shooting small stones
2
a
: a maneuver in auto racing in which a drafting car accelerates past the car in front by taking advantage of reserve power
b
: a dragster in which the driver sits behind the rear wheels
Examples of slingshot in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The 30-minute firing of the Orion service module engine will place the spacecraft on a free-return trajectory — a course that loops around the far side of the moon and slingshots back toward Earth.
—
Josh Dinner, Space.com, 31 Mar. 2026
The suitcase’s contents ranged from meeting notes and a list of ways to antagonize targets (from the use of lizards and snakes to slingshots) to membership lists and charters.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 30 Mar. 2026
Once the slingshot mission of Artemis II is complete, Artemis III will dock with a commercial spacecraft in low Earth orbit rather than landing on the moon in 2028.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
The heat shield is a crucial piece of hardware designed to protect the crew as their capsule reenters Earth’s atmosphere upon returning from their 10-day, slingshot trip around the moon.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for slingshot
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Josh Dinner, Space.com, 31 Mar. 2026
The suitcase’s contents ranged from meeting notes and a list of ways to antagonize targets (from the use of lizards and snakes to slingshots) to membership lists and charters.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 30 Mar. 2026
Once the slingshot mission of Artemis II is complete, Artemis III will dock with a commercial spacecraft in low Earth orbit rather than landing on the moon in 2028.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
The heat shield is a crucial piece of hardware designed to protect the crew as their capsule reenters Earth’s atmosphere upon returning from their 10-day, slingshot trip around the moon.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for slingshot
Cite this Entry
“Slingshot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slingshot. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
slingshot
noun
sling·shot
ˈsliŋ-ˌshät
: a forked stick with an elastic band attached for shooting small stones
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