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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When the package is placed in the drone, an engineer carries it to a launch pad, and with the press of a few buttons, the drone slingshots into the sky. — Fatma Tanis, NPR, 4 Aug. 2026 Video footage obtained by PEOPLE shows the scary moment the slingshot-style ride malfunctioned as one of the wires that attaches to the car appears to abruptly snap off. — Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026 The gravity assist maneuver wasn't unlike a slingshot, propelling the Psyche spacecraft on a trajectory to arrive at the metallic main-belt asteroid Psyche by the end of 2029, NASA explained. — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 21 July 2026 Halsey experienced that unpredictability while the show filmed — including the opening scene of the series, where the audience sees her character for the first time, slingshot in hand. — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 11 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for slingshot

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of slingshot was in 1849

Rhymes for slingshot

See All Rhymes for slingshot

Browse Nearby Words

slings and arrows
slingshot
slingsman
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slingshot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slingshot. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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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

More from Merriam-Webster on slingshot

Nglish: Translation of slingshot for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about slingshot

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