Meaning & use
can of corn
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Meaning
phrasefixed phraseinformal
In baseball, a fly ball that is easy to catch; more broadly, anything accomplished with little effort.
Grammar: Used as a noun phrase; often in the phrase 'a can of corn'.
Patterns
- a can of corn
- catch a can of corn
The outfielder caught the can of corn for the final out.
That pop-up was a can of corn; he didn't even have to move.
The exam was a can of corn for her after weeks of study.
Common combinations
- a can of corn
- The routine fly ball was a can of corn for the center fielder.
- catch a can of corn
- He easily caught a can of corn in the ninth inning.
- drop a can of corn
- The rookie dropped a can of corn, costing his team the game.
Synonyms and how they differ
- easy out
- Easy out refers to a batter who is easily put out, while can of corn specifically describes an easily caught fly ball.
- routine play
- Routine play is a general term for any ordinary play, not limited to fly balls.
Commonly confused: can of corn or can of worms?
can of corn vs can of worms
A can of worms means a complicated problem, while a can of corn means something very easy.
Practice
What does 'can of corn' mean in baseball?
Choose one answer.
A can of corn is a fly ball that is very easy to catch. The other options describe different baseball terms: line drive, curveball, and hothead.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “can of corn”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.