as in to speed
to proceed or move quickly
a dune buggy came recklessly cannonballing down the crowded beach
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Recent Examples of cannonball
Allison Duncan, WSJ, 29 July 2022
Go swimming in Copper Canyon where folks cannonball from the rocks, or spend a quiet day exploring the details of the shoreline.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 17 July 2021
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2025
Michael Kayode’s cannonball long throws, which Slot said Liverpool had practised defending on Friday and spoken about again on Saturday, were a constant problem, but the visitors repeatedly, and needlessly, aided Brentford by putting the ball out of play in their own defensive third.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cannonball
Verb
For anyone who’s so constrained but still longing to sip a cocktail while soaking on a pool step or to cannonball in after a long day, these little dippers can appeal.
—Allison Duncan, WSJ, 29 July 2022
Go swimming in Copper Canyon where folks cannonball from the rocks, or spend a quiet day exploring the details of the shoreline.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 17 July 2021
Noun
Reprise, his 2006 cannonball of a debut, centers on two aspiring, competitive writers.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2025
Michael Kayode’s cannonball long throws, which Slot said Liverpool had practised defending on Friday and spoken about again on Saturday, were a constant problem, but the visitors repeatedly, and needlessly, aided Brentford by putting the ball out of play in their own defensive third.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cannonball
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cannonball
Verb
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Radical changes announced in February by new NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman to speed up the country’s return to the moon could make the program more reliant on SpaceX on future launches.—
The Los Angeles Times,
Boston Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
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If the state approves these changes, New York City will be able to speed up too — our administration will ensure that rezoning applications can begin public review in six months or less.—
Leila Bozorg,
New York Daily News,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The deaths came fewer than 24 hours after an Indonesian peacekeeper was killed and three others wounded when a projectile, also of undetermined origin, exploded near a UNIFIL position in a southern Lebanese village.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
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Use of any object as a projectile is prohibited and will result in expulsion.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Families raced to the airport as divers searched the icy Potomac.—
Sharyn Alfonsi,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
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But the pictures of Jane and Adam in her wallet in the safe triggered a wave of negative thoughts racing through my mind.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Their missiles are just about used up or beaten.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
More than 100 aircraft launched from land and sea in the first day, with cyber and space campaigns degrading Iranian communications and sensors while the air campaign struck command-and-control centers, ballistic-missile sites, naval forces and intelligence infrastructure.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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By then, red flags were already flying.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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The pair launched a fundraiser to pay for more helicopter flying hours and advanced search gear.—
Clare Fisher,
PEOPLE,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Personality under the shell Tortoises can charm with their unique personalities, explained Jim Stout, executive director and CEO of the Tortoise Conservancy Inc, which is based near Orlando, Florida.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
4 Apr. 2026
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But car-crash girls are, in fact, fierce in their attachments, devoted to the few people who can penetrate their hard shells.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital by Santa Monica Fire Department paramedics, the man was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
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If someone pushes you to rush, keep your tone measured and propose a reasonable deadline that protects quality and keeps expectations aligned.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Others contend that legitimizing him erodes Democratic credibility on antisemitism and other issues, handing Republicans ammunition heading into the midterms.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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Some of the ammunition was purchased from co-conspirators by undercover officers, prosecutors said.—
Sierra van der Brug,
Oc Register,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cannonball.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cannonball. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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