topspin

noun

top·​spin ˈtäp-ˌspin How to pronounce topspin (audio)
: a rotary motion imparted to a ball that causes it to rotate forward in the direction it is traveling

Examples of topspin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Both men prefer to slide and skid the ball through the court, rather than loading it up with topspin. Ava Wallace, New York Times, 1 July 2026 Hitting the upper-middle section creates topspin, which increases pressure above the ball and lowers it below, causing the ball to dip sharply downward. Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 June 2026 Players have five types of shots such as the slice, topspin and lob, and stronger versions of them along with different rackets that carry different abilities. Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 7 May 2026 The elder Shelton advised his son to chip the return and get to net, and Ben Shelton did both of those but was soon unable to hit a topspin forehand altogether. Adam Zagoria, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for topspin

Word History

Etymology

top entry 1

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of topspin was in 1888

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Cite this Entry

“Topspin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/topspin. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

topspin

noun
top·​spin -ˌspin How to pronounce topspin (audio)
: a forward spinning motion of a ball
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