slingshot

noun

sling·​shot ˈsliŋ-ˌshät How to pronounce slingshot (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The crew’s closest approach to the moon’s surface will be about 4,000 miles above the lunar peaks, increasing to its record-breaking distance of 4,700 miles on the far side, before lunar gravity slingshots the ship back to Earth on another four-day journey. Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 29 Jan. 2026 With Alex Carr defending the slot-line pass, Hagens approached the right dot and snapped a slingshot through Chauvette to give BC a 4-2 lead. Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2026 In retaliation, landowners might poison the birds, kill them with slingshots, or trap them to sell on the black market. Brianna Randall, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026 The former slingshots between harmony and hysteria; the latter petrifies its beauty under a haze of ashy gray powder. Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 28 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slingshot

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of slingshot was in 1849

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Cite this Entry

“Slingshot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slingshot. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

slingshot

noun
sling·​shot ˈsliŋ-ˌshät How to pronounce slingshot (audio)
: a forked stick with an elastic band attached for shooting small stones

More from Merriam-Webster on slingshot

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