volley

1 of 2

noun

vol·​ley ˈvä-lē 

plural volleys

1

a(1)

: the flight of the ball (as in volleyball or tennis) or its course before striking the ground

also : a return of the ball before it touches the ground

(2)

: a kick of the ball in soccer before it rebounds

(3)

: the exchange of the shuttlecock in badminton following the serve

b

: a flight of missiles (such as arrows)

c

: simultaneous discharge of a number of missile weapons

d

: one round per gun in a battery fired as soon as a gun is ready without regard to order

2

a

: a burst or emission of many things or a large amount at once

received a volley of angry letters

b

: a burst of simultaneous or immediately sequential nerve impulses passing to an end organ, synapse, or center

volley

2 of 2

verb

volleyed; volleying

transitive verb

1

: to propel (an object) while in the air and before touching the ground

especially : to hit (a tennis ball) on the volley

2

: to discharge in or as if in a volley

intransitive verb

1

: to make a volley

specifically : to volley an object of play (as in tennis)

2

: to become discharged in or as if in a volley

volleyer noun

Synonyms

Noun

• barrage
• blitz
• blitzkrieg
• bombardment
• cannonade
• drumbeat
• drumfire
• flurry
• fusillade
• hail
• salvo
• shower
• storm

Examples of volley in a Sentence

Noun

The tank was hit by a volley of bullets.

She was overwhelmed by a volley of questions from the press.

Verb

She volleyed the shot over the net.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Maintained in this state of wild vexation by volleys of planetary radiation— what if a genie replaced your phone with the club of somebody’s tibia bone? —James Parker, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2024

The volley of digital ads paints Valadao as corrupt and responsible for the rising costs of housing and health care. —Grant Stringer, The Mercury News, 28 Oct. 2024

Verb

Toti met Ait-Nouri’s delivery uncontested and Colwill was in no position to cut out his header across to Jorgen Strand Larsen, who threw himself at the ball and volleyed it in. —Liam Twomey, The Athletic, 28 Aug. 2024

There’s a lot of back and forth between Mendez and Yancy, with Mendez threatening and gloating and Yancy volleying everything back to him sharply. —Erin Qualey, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French volee flight, from voler to fly, from Old French, from Latin volare

First Known Use

Noun

1573, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Verb

1591, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Phrases Containing volley

• drop volley
• half volley

Kids Definition

volley

1 of 2 noun

vol·​ley ˈväl-ē 

plural volleys

1

: a group of missiles (as arrows or bullets) passing through the air

2

: a firing of a number of weapons (as rifles) at the same time

3

: a bursting forth of many things at once

a volley of praise

4

: the act of volleying

volley

2 of 2 verb

volleyed; volleying

1

: to shoot in a volley

2

: to hit an object (as a ball) while it is in the air before it touches the ground

Medical Definition

volley

noun

vol·​ley ˈväl-ē 

plural volleys

: a burst of simultaneous or immediately sequential nerve impulses passing to an end organ, synapse, or center