1
as in scurrying
to proceed or move quickly
the probe hurtled through space to its destination: Jupiter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in throwing
to send through the air especially with a quick forward motion of the arm
competitors taking turns hurtling their javelins down the field
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of hurtling
None of them knew that a space rock more than six miles wide was hurtling toward Earth and about to kill them all.
—
Dino Grandoni The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2025
The season’s hurtling toward its conclusion, which means everyone is beginning to have some major and majorly honest conversations.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2025
Imagine a nuclear warhead is hurtling straight toward us, with only 18 minutes to respond before a major city is obliterated.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
For years, the county's transit system has been hurtling toward a fiscal cliff, staved off by federal pandemic aid and an increase in tax levy support.
—Vanessa Swales, jsonline.com, 17 Oct. 2025
On July 1, it was captured hurtling through space at a staggering speed of 130,000 mph (210,000 km/h).
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2025
The federal government is hurtling toward a shutdown on Wednesday morning.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2025
But the idea that legislators could make progress on this issue in the near-term seems unlikely given Democrats and Republicans are hurtling toward a federal government shutdown on Wednesday if the Senate can’t agree on a funding bill that gets 60 votes.
—Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2025
The camera goes hurtling after the characters, none of whom move the same way.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
Dino Grandoni The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2025
The season’s hurtling toward its conclusion, which means everyone is beginning to have some major and majorly honest conversations.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2025
Imagine a nuclear warhead is hurtling straight toward us, with only 18 minutes to respond before a major city is obliterated.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
For years, the county's transit system has been hurtling toward a fiscal cliff, staved off by federal pandemic aid and an increase in tax levy support.
—Vanessa Swales, jsonline.com, 17 Oct. 2025
On July 1, it was captured hurtling through space at a staggering speed of 130,000 mph (210,000 km/h).
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2025
The federal government is hurtling toward a shutdown on Wednesday morning.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2025
But the idea that legislators could make progress on this issue in the near-term seems unlikely given Democrats and Republicans are hurtling toward a federal government shutdown on Wednesday if the Senate can’t agree on a funding bill that gets 60 votes.
—Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2025
The camera goes hurtling after the characters, none of whom move the same way.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hurtling
Verb
-
Inside, there’s the occasional model being fitted and photographed, outside there are truck drivers, caterers, lighting specialists and many more milling around or scurrying about.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Normally, the hours and days before the prospect of a shutdown on Capitol Hill are filled with scenes of lawmakers and aides scurrying about to negotiate possible settlements.—
Alexander Bolton,
The Hill,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Jourdan is a relatively calm ghost (staff report objects being moved around the restaurant), but there’s a slightly more active spirit in the Courtyard Bar, where there have been three instances of an unknown source throwing a glass from across the room.—
Sophie Friedman,
AFAR Media,
22 Oct. 2025
-
The duo is throwing a party—Eileen will be there, along with her current paramour, also a collaborator in her work, Thea Clifton (Imogen Poots)—though tragedy will strike by the night’s end.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Once inside, the gang smashed two display cases and made off with several jewels before speeding away on motorbikes.—
Barney Henderson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Phoenix police were looking for the driver of a speeding Tesla that hit a bicyclist who died.—
Jose R. Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
After her 2023 arrest, Lorincz admitted to hurling racial slurs at the children, according to the arrest affidavit.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Walking away from a fight or turning the other cheek at someone hurling insults your way would be an insult to our own ego and pride.—
Ed Lavandera,
CNN Money,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Two members of the airline crew can then be seen hurrying from the rear of the plane toward the fire.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Pedestrians are hurrying past to find their places on Fifth Avenue, but the girls have a different kind of readiness about them.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Just be sure the lid’s fully sealed before tossing it in your bag or pack.—
Clay Abney,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Oct. 2025
-
The long-standing tradition involves the crowd tossing the discs into the air primarily before kickoff at Jones AT&T Stadium.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Orion Kerkering, the last man standing, could not handle it cleanly, flinging one final throw errantly toward the backstop.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Time will tell if Humberto will be swinging its partner round and round, flinging it harmlessly out to sea or closer to land.—
Chris Dolce,
CNN Money,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Except for the blood that was rushing away from his body, pouring out from his neck, his throat split open wide as a shark’s mouth.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Chase Brown also helped open up the passing game, rushing for 108 yards on 11 carries.—
Jon Conahan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hurtling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hurtling. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share