Meaning & use
curveball
A baseball pitch thrown with spin so it curves as it approaches the batter.
See it in a sentence
The pitcher struck him out with a sharp curveball on the outside corner.
She practiced her curveball for hours before the championship game.
A note on using this word
Curveball is often used figuratively for an unexpected difficulty or surprise, as in the news threw us a curveball.
Words with a similar meaning
This term is best learned through its definition and examples.
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. noun
An unexpected problem, challenge, or piece of news that disrupts plans.
Losing our main sponsor a week before the event was a real curveball.
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