curveball

noun

curve·​ball ˈkərv-ˌbȯl How to pronounce curveball (audio)
: a slow or moderately fast baseball pitch thrown with spin to make it swerve downward and usually to the left when thrown from the right hand or to the right when thrown from the left hand
curveball verb

Examples of curveball in a Sentence

The batter struck out on a curveball.
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.
This is a city that handles curveballs like this well (unless there’s snow on the ground). — Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 27 Oct. 2026 The Rays threw a curveball Monday with their ceremonial first pitch ahead of Game 3 of the World Series. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2026 Facing multiple curveballs The Chans’ experience shows how difficult the situation can be. — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026 Just over a week before Wicker began filming in Hungary, costume designers András Dániel Tóth and Attila Godena-Juhász, who work together as András + Attila, were thrown one big curveball. — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for curveball

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of curveball was in 1936

Phrases Containing curveball

Rhymes for curveball

See All Rhymes for curveball

Browse Nearby Words

curve
curveball
curve-billed thrasher
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Cite this Entry

“Curveball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curveball. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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