fastball

noun

fast·​ball ˈfas(t)-ˌbȯl How to pronounce fastball (audio)
: a baseball pitch thrown at full speed and often appearing to rise slightly as it nears the plate
fastballer
ˈfas(t)-ˌbȯ-lər How to pronounce fastball (audio)
noun

Examples of fastball in a Sentence

He struck him out with a fastball.
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.
Meanwhile, Jacob Misiorowski, the likely NL Cy Young winner, was dealing triple-digit fastballs the Rays couldn’t handle in the bottom frames. — Scott Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2026 On the mound for Milwaukee was Misiorowski, a beanstalk of a pitcher whose fastball routinely exceeds a hundred and three miles per hour. — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026 Frelick capped a nine-pitch at-bat against Ian Seymour in the sixth by driving a fastball over the center-field fence. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 The one key characteristic is an electric fastball from the left-side of the mound. — Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fastball

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fastball was in 1883

Phrases Containing fastball

Rhymes for fastball

See All Rhymes for fastball

Browse Nearby Words

fastback
fastball
fastballer
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Cite this Entry

“Fastball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fastball. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

fastball

noun
fast·​ball ˈfas(t)-ˌbȯl How to pronounce fastball (audio)
: a baseball pitch thrown at full speed

More from Merriam-Webster on fastball

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fastball

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