plural catapults
1
a
: an ancient weapon used for throwing large rocks
b
British
: slingshot
2
: a device for launching an airplane from the deck of an aircraft carrier
catapults; catapulted; catapulting
1
: to throw (something) with a catapult
They catapulted rocks toward the castle.
2
a
: to cause (someone or something) to quickly move up or ahead or to a better position
The publicity catapulted her CD to the top of the charts.
The novel catapulted him from unknown to best-selling author.
b
: to quickly move up or ahead : to quickly advance to a better position
He catapulted to fame after his first book was published.
Her career was catapulting ahead.
Cite this Entry
“Catapult.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/catapult. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy Citation
