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topspin

American  
[top-spin] / ˈtɒpˌspɪn /

noun

  1. a spinning motion imparted to a ball that causes it to rotate forward.


topspin British  
/ ˈtɒpˌspɪn /

noun

  1. sport spin imparted to make a ball bounce or travel exceptionally far, high, or quickly, as by hitting it with a sharp forward and upward stroke Compare backspin

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of topspin

First recorded in 1900–05; top 1 + spin

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.

See Examples For:

Sabalenka, who has crushed topspin forehands harder than the top men at this tournament, was on her way.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 6, 2025

Ruud, using his excellent topspin forehand, then broke Alcaraz’s serve for a 4-2 lead.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 11, 2022

Ruud hits with a healthy dose of topspin that makes his game particularly suited to clay, where he first made waves at Grand Slams.

From Washington Post Sep. 11, 2022

Using her heavy topspin forehand to take charge from the baseline in the early going, Swiatek dictated the tempo and trajectory of points.

From Seattle Times Sep. 10, 2022

The years of pro experience seemed at first to favour Martinez, who used deep, punchy shots and heavy topspin to clinch the first set 6-4.

From BBC Aug. 25, 2022

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