Illustration of catapult
- catapult 1
cat·a·pult
ˈka-tə-ˌpəlt 
-ˌpu̇lt
1
: an ancient military device for hurling missiles
2
: a device for launching an airplane at flying speed (as from an aircraft carrier)
catapulted; catapulting; catapults
: to throw or launch by or as if by a catapult
: to become catapulted
he catapulted to fame
Synonyms
Examples of catapult in a Sentence
Verb
They catapulted rocks toward the castle.
The publicity catapulted her CD to the top of the charts.
The novel catapulted him from unknown to best-selling author.
He catapulted to fame after his first book was published.
Her career was catapulting ahead.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sarah Blaskey, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2025
The Sichuan, a Type 076 warship, outfitted with an electromagnetic catapult and arresting gear.
—Colin Demarest, Axios, 8 Jan. 2025
Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025
The doe-eyed brunette’s resemblance to her grandmother Audrey Hepburn could have catapulted her into Hollywood.
—airmail.news, 25 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for catapult 
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Noun
The day her class spent on campus commemorating the International Day of Women and Girls in Science by building catapults out of plastic spoons was supposed to encourage the students to break the trend.
—Sarah Blaskey, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2025
The Sichuan, a Type 076 warship, outfitted with an electromagnetic catapult and arresting gear.
—Colin Demarest, Axios, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
This mix of horror, nostalgia, and innovative gameplay resonated deeply with audiences, catapulting the company into the global spotlight.
—Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025
The doe-eyed brunette’s resemblance to her grandmother Audrey Hepburn could have catapulted her into Hollywood.
—airmail.news, 25 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for catapult
Dictionary Entries Near catapult
Cite this Entry
“Catapult.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catapult. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
catapult
1 of 2 noun
cat·a·pult
ˈkat-ə-ˌpəlt
-ˌpu̇lt
1
: an ancient military device for hurling missiles
2
: a device for launching an airplane (as from the deck of an aircraft carrier)
catapult
2 of 2 verb1
: to throw or launch by or as if by a catapult
2
: to become catapulted
he catapulted to fame
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