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
Nina Bambysheva, Forbes, 30 Jan. 2025
The 272-piece set even features interactive accessories like a snowball catapult, snow castle, Christmas tree, and fireplace.
—Ali Faccenda, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
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 cycle feeds itself: Issue billions in low- or no-cost debt and equity, drive bitcoin prices higher with large purchases and catapult MicroStrategy’s hypervolatile stock.
—Nina Bambysheva, Forbes, 30 Jan. 2025
The 272-piece set even features interactive accessories like a snowball catapult, snow castle, Christmas tree, and fireplace.
—Ali Faccenda, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
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 11 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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