catapult

American  

[kat-uh-puhlt, -poolt] / ˈkæt əˌpʌlt, -ˌpʊlt /

noun

1. an ancient military engine for hurling stones, arrows, etc.

2. a device for launching an airplane from the deck of a ship.

3. British. a slingshot.

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verb (used with object)

1. to hurl from a catapult.

2. to thrust or move quickly or suddenly.

   His brilliant performance in the play catapulted him to stardom.

   Synonyms:

   shoot, pitch, propel, fling, throw

3. British.

   1. to hurl (a missile) from a slingshot.

   2. to hit (an object) with a missile from a slingshot.

verb (used without object)

1. to be catapulted.

2. to move or spring up suddenly, quickly, or forcibly, as if by means of a catapult.

   The car catapulted down the highway. When he heard the alarm he catapulted out of bed.

catapult British  

/ ˈkætəˌpʌlt /

noun

1. US and Canadian name: slingshot.  a Y-shaped implement with a loop of elastic fastened to the ends of the two prongs, used mainly by children for shooting small stones, etc

2. a heavy war engine used formerly for hurling stones, etc

3. a device installed in warships to launch aircraft

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verb

1. (tr) to shoot forth from or as if from a catapult

2. to move precipitately

   she was catapulted to stardom overnight

Other Word Forms

• catapultic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of catapult

1570–80; < Latin catapulta < Greek katapéltēs, equivalent to kata- cata- + péltēs hurler, akin to pállein to hurl

Explanation

A catapult is something that hurls things through the air, like a catapult that sends pumpkins flying in an annual Halloween competition. To pronounce catapult, accent the first syllable: "CAT a pult." Catapult can also be a verb that means "to hurl or shoot forward." It's not only objects that catapult. A hit single can catapult a band to great fame, for example, or a high score may catapult you into first place. Just don't catapult any cats. That would catapult you to notoriety, and probably also to jail.

Example Sentences

Their Catapult Hydra protocol is proprietary but tested.

From Salon • Feb. 12, 2026

Australia-listed Catapult agreed to pay 40 million euros, or about US$46 million, up front in cash, funded by a US$84 million institutional placement that Lopes said was oversubscribed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 14, 2025

Catapult said in a statement it was aware of the ongoing investigation of alleged unauthorized access to college football video footage.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 29, 2023

By Erika Howsare Catapult: 368 pages, $28 If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 27, 2023

“I thought Catapult was a spring break city in Mexico.”

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

Related Words

• slingshot