What does "Curveball" mean?

An unexpected or deceptive situation or question. From baseball—a pitch that curves unexpectedly. Now means any surprise that's hard to deal with.

How do you use "Curveball" in a sentence?

Life threw me a curveball. That interview question was a real curveball. The pandemic threw everyone a curveball.

Curveball

Slang Term AmericanBritish ★★★★☆ Common Casual

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Meaning: An unexpected or deceptive situation or question.

出人意料的情况或问题

Una situación o pregunta inesperada o engañosa.

予想外の、または惑わせるような状況や質問

예상치 못한 상황이나 질문

From baseball—a pitch that curves unexpectedly. Now means any surprise that's hard to deal with.

源自棒球——一种出人意料地转弯的投球。现在指任何难以应对的意外。

Del béisbol—un lanzamiento que curva inesperadamente. Ahora significa cualquier sorpresa difícil de manejar.

野球由来の表現。予想外にカーブするピッチのこと。対処が難しい驚きを指す。

야구에서 유래—예상치 못하게 휘어지는 투구를 뜻한다. 지금은 대처하기 어려운 뜻밖의 상황을 의미한다.

Literal meaning: Baseball pitch that curves

Examples

Life threw me a curveball.
生活给我出了个难题
La vida me dio una sorpresa
人生に不意打ちを食らった
인생에 불의의 한 방을 맞았어.
That interview question was a real curveball.
那个面试问题真是出乎意料
Esa pregunta de la entrevista fue muy inesperada
あの面接の質問は本当に予想外だった
그 면접 질문은 정말 예상 밖이었어.
The pandemic threw everyone a curveball.
疫情让所有人措手不及
La pandemia pilló a todos desprevenidos
パンデミックは皆に不意打ちを食らわせた
팬데믹은 모두에게 뜻밖의 시련이었어.

Pronunciation

/ˈkɜːvbɔːl/

Usage Guide

Context: surprise, difficulty, unexpected

Tone: surprised, challenged

✓ Do Say

Threw a curveball.
出其不意
Lanzar una sorpresa
カーブボールを投げた＝不意を突いた
변화구를 던졌어
That's a curveball.
那是个意外
Eso es inesperado
それは予想外だ
그건 예상 밖이야
Life's curveballs.
生活中的意外
Las sorpresas de la vida
人生の予想外の出来事
인생의 예상 밖 일들

✗ Don't Say

Surprise
Surprise（惊喜）
Surprise（Sorpresa）
Surprise（サプライズ）
Surprise（놀라움）
Unexpected problem
Unexpected problem（意外的问题）
Unexpected problem（Problema inesperado）
Unexpected problem（予想外の問題）
Unexpected problem（예상치 못한 문제）

Common Mistakes

American baseball origin
British equivalent is 'googly' from cricket

Origin & History

From baseball—a curveball is a pitch that curves as it approaches the batter, making it hard to hit.

Etymology: American baseball slang, 19th century

First recorded: Late 19th century (sports), 20th century (metaphor)

Cultural Context

Era: 19th century to present

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: American sports; Everyday American speech

Regional notes: American origin—now used in British English too.

Variations

CurveballThrow a curveballLife's curveballs