noun
curveball
noun
1
In baseball, a pitch thrown with spin that makes it swerve as it approaches the batter.
"His curveball dropped sharply right over the plate."
2
An unexpected difficulty or surprise.
"The interview threw her a curveball by asking about a project she'd never mentioned."
How to Use Curveball
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA pitch that curves in baseball, or more generally, an unexpected twist someone throws at you.
Common pairings
throw a curveball
life throws curveballs
Word Forms
curveballed past tense, curveballs plural, curveballs singular
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His _____ dropped sharply right over the plate.
Etymology
From curve + ball, describing a pitch that curves in flight.