plural curveballs
baseball
: a pitch that is thrown with spin so that the ball curves in the air
The batter struck out on a curveball.
—often used figurativelyLife has thrown him a few curveballs in recent years. [=he has had some difficult and unexpected problems in his life]
called also curve
Cite this Entry
“Curveball.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/curveball. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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