off-speed
Americanadjective
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He toyed around with sliders and curveballs and change-ups and even a splitter in the hopes of finding an off-speed option to complement his ever-improving fastball.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
“Just not overthrowing the ball, not throwing as hard as I can but hitting the spots and having a feel for my off-speed pitches,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 12, 2026
It was an off-speed pitch first derived from the forkball that hadn’t been popular since the age of the Walkman—and its reputation for shredding elbows had given it a stigma.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 31, 2026
The cutter darts the other direction, giving him a weapon to throw in against left-handed hitters who had previously just looked for off-speed pitches away.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2024
“Throw him the off-speed stuff! This chump couldn’t hit a changeup even if you told him it’s coming!”
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
