pinball machine

noun

: an amusement device in which a ball propelled by a plunger scores points as it rolls down a slanting surface among pins and targets

called also pinball game

Examples of pinball machine in a Sentence

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.
Set right on the boardwalk, the museum spotlights vintage arcade games and pinball machines, with around 600 games and an unlimited-play option. — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 23 Oct. 2026 As the tools for designing and building pinball machines become more accessible, the homebrew scene continues to grow. — ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026 Whether the photo was staged at Maxim’s or around the pinball machine in a neighborhood bar, Avedon conjured a sense of delight in the moment. — Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026 The internal mechanisms of pinball machines remained consistent for many decades, even when the flipper was added in 1947. — Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pinball machine

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pinball machine was in 1936

Rhymes for pinball machine

See All Rhymes for pinball machine

Browse Nearby Words

pinball
pinball machine
pinbefore
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Cite this Entry

“Pinball machine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pinball%20machine. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pinball machine

noun
pin·​ball machine
ˈpin-ˌbȯl-
: a game in which a ball shot by a plunger scores points as it rolls around a slanting surface among pins and targets

More from Merriam-Webster on pinball machine

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pinball machine

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