slingshot
Americannoun
noun
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Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): catapult. 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
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another name for sling 1
Etymology
Origin of slingshot
Explanation
A slingshot is a small toy or weapon that you can use for "shooting" stones. You might take aim at some old metal cans on a wall, knocking them off one by one with your slingshot. A slingshot works like a small catapult, with rubber strips holding a pocket where the stone or other projectile sits. When you pull the pocket back and release it, the stone is projected forward. Slingshots are simple in design, but they're relatively modern inventions that rely on rubber, which was invented in 1839. The earliest use of slingshots was mainly by young troublemakers. The ammunition in a slingshot is sometimes referred to as a sling-stone.
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.
The astronauts did the first slingshot around the Moon in more than 50 years and traveled deeper into space than any humans before -- culminating in a smooth splashdown Friday off the coast of California.
From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026
Before he ran out of road, he pulled within sneezing distance of the car in front of him and used the draft to slingshot around into second.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026
Catapult crimes are not included in official statistics, so BBC Verify sent Freedom of Information requests to police forces in England and Wales, asking for crime records which mentioned the words "catapult" or "slingshot".
From BBC • Oct. 7, 2025
When David fought Goliath, he was just armed with a slingshot and a few stones.
From Salon • Jan. 15, 2025
Glenn shook his head and drew a slingshot out of his back pocket.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
