fastball

noun

fast·​ball ˈfas(t)-ˌbȯl How to pronounce fastball (audio)
: a baseball pitch thrown at full speed and often appearing to rise slightly as it nears the plate
fastballer
ˈfas(t)-ˌbȯ-lər How to pronounce fastball (audio)
noun

Examples of fastball in a Sentence

He struck him out with a fastball.
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.
Up until that point, Whisenhunt had thrown 27 of his 46 pitches for strikes, with a four-seam fastball touching 95 mph and a sinker in the 93-94 mph range. — Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026 Instead, his fastball accounted for 66% of his pitches thrown, leading to a career-high 24 called strikes on the pitch. — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 In the meantime, Schmidt is happy with where his stuff and velocity are at after Ausmus and Coa saw fastballs that ranged from 94-95 mph on Tuesday. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026 Those came on four different pitches — a four-seam fastball (5), slider (2), cutter (2) and changeup (1). — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fastball

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fastball was in 1883

Phrases Containing fastball

Rhymes for fastball

See All Rhymes for fastball

Browse Nearby Words

fastback
fastball
fastballer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fastball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fastball. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

fastball

noun
fast·​ball ˈfas(t)-ˌbȯl How to pronounce fastball (audio)
: a baseball pitch thrown at full speed

More from Merriam-Webster on fastball

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fastball

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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