Word
curveball
Phoneticscurve·ball
Countable noun Informal
Definition
n. a situation that is very unexpected and difficult to deal with. It comes from baseball, where a pitcher throws a ball that suddenly changes direction.
n. an unexpected and difficult-to-handle situation or event. Derived from the baseball pitch of the same name, which causes the ball to move in an unpredictable arc.
Examples
“The sudden change in the weather was a real curveball.”
“The manager threw a curveball at the team by announcing the project cancellation just before the deadline.”
“While the initial proposal seemed straightforward, the legal complications that arose during the audit proved to be a significant curveball that the board was unprepared to handle.”
Examples
simple
“The sudden change in the weather was a real curveball.”
contextual
“The manager threw a curveball at the team by announcing the project cancellation just before the deadline.”
complex
“While the initial proposal seemed straightforward, the legal complications that arose during the audit proved to be a significant curveball that the board was unprepared to handle.”
Real-World Examples
“But only moments after the game's traitors were selected, a huge curveball was thrown when Richard E Grant did something no one has done on the show before.” Etymology
From curve + ball.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/curveball