ENGLISH
REFERENCE

volley

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈvɑɫi// UK //vˈɒli// vol·ley

n. a shot in sports like tennis or soccer where you hit the ball before it touches the ground. It can also mean many things, like questions or bullets, being sent at someone all at once.

n. the act of striking or kicking a ball before it makes contact with the ground. By extension, refers to a simultaneous or rapid succession of projectiles, questions, or criticisms.


SIMPLE

She won the point with a powerful volley at the net.

CONTEXTUAL

The politician faced a volley of difficult questions from the press as soon as he stepped off the plane.

COMPLEX

The goalkeeper's spectacular save denied a close-range volley that seemed destined for the top corner, keeping his team's championship hopes alive in the final minutes of the match.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle French volée (“flight”), from Vulgar Latin volta, from Late Latin volatus.

Usage

Often used with the preposition 'of' when describing a series of non-physical things like questions or insults.

© 2026 English Reference