slingshot

noun

sling·​shot ˈsliŋ-ˌshät How to pronounce slingshot (audio)
1
: a forked stick with an elastic band attached for shooting small stones
2
a
: a maneuver in auto racing in which a drafting car accelerates past the car in front by taking advantage of reserve power
b
: a dragster in which the driver sits behind the rear wheels

Examples of slingshot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web However, a rare planetary alignment in the 2030s may provide a window to visit Uranus and Neptune after a slingshot around Jupiter—though any spacecraft would need to leave Earth by the early 2030s to get to Uranus by the 2040s. Jamie Carter, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 Some are just goofy, such as a slime slingshot, which allows participants to catapult slime at someone else. Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2024 But part of his rehab has been getting his mind and spirit back to the place that fired those slingshots. Nate Atkins, The Indianapolis Star, 18 Jan. 2024 In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury relaxed following its slingshot ride higher in recent days. Yuri Kageyama, Quartz, 6 Feb. 2024 The idea is to create as much tension in the lines as possible, turning yourself into a human slingshot. Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2024 This slingshot supports a range of shooting styles, too. Jim Cobb, Field & Stream, 13 Sep. 2023 Young Palestinians defied the Israeli military with their stones and slingshots but also forced Arafat and the PLO to endorse the two-state solution. Jean-Pierre Filiu, Foreign Affairs, 1 Jan. 2024 That way the Orion can use the moon’s gravity as a slingshot to send it on course for its four-day return trip. IEEE Spectrum, 23 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'slingshot.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of slingshot was in 1849

Dictionary Entries Near slingshot

Cite this Entry

“Slingshot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slingshot. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

slingshot

noun
sling·​shot ˈsliŋ-ˌshät How to pronounce slingshot (audio)
: a forked stick with an elastic band attached for shooting small stones

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