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

Michelangelo’s statue of David, the Biblical hero who used a slingshot to slay the giant Goliath, was unveiled to the public in the Piazza della Signoria in Florence, Italy. — USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026

Neighboring families joined in water-balloon battles across the lake, sometimes using giant slingshots. — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Running battles erupted throughout downtown as security forces used tear gas and batons to disperse crowds, while protesters responded with barricades, stones, and slingshots. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Aug. 2026

When the package is placed in the drone, an engineer carries it to a launch pad, and with the press of a few buttons, the drone slingshots into the sky. — Fatma Tanis, NPR, 4 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for slingshot

• allot
• barat
• begot
• besought
• bethought
• bloodshot
• boycott
• buckshot
• crackpot
• croat
• culottes
• dashpot

Kids Definition

slingshot

noun

sling·​shot ˈsliŋ-ˌshät 

: a forked stick with an elastic band attached for shooting small stones