plural volleys
1
a(1)
: the flight of the ball (as in volleyball or tennis) or its course before striking the ground
also
: a return of the ball before it touches the ground
(2)
: a kick of the ball in soccer before it rebounds
(3)
: the exchange of the shuttlecock in badminton following the serve
b
: a flight of missiles (such as arrows)
c
: simultaneous discharge of a number of missile weapons
d
: one round per gun in a battery fired as soon as a gun is ready without regard to order
2
a
: a burst or emission of many things or a large amount at once
received a volley of angry letters
b
: a burst of simultaneous or immediately sequential nerve impulses passing to an end organ, synapse, or center
volleyed; volleying
1
: to propel (an object) while in the air and before touching the ground
especially
: to hit (a tennis ball) on the volley
2
: to discharge in or as if in a volley
1
: to make a volley
specifically
: to volley an object of play (as in tennis)
2
: to become discharged in or as if in a volley
volleyer
noun
Examples of volley in a Sentence
Noun
The tank was hit by a volley of bullets.
She was overwhelmed by a volley of questions from the press.
Verb
She volleyed the shot over the net.
Recent Examples on the Web
Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2025
That marked a significant cooling of tensions, after a recent volley of tariff threats and fresh export curbs threatened to derail the bilateral relationship.
—Bloomberg, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
Andy McCullough, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
The Padres added a run against Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen in the fifth when Machado walked, Bogaerts volleyed his second single into right field, Sheets reached on a fielder’s choice in which the Diamondbacks flubbed a catch and Jake Cronenworth walked.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for volley
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Noun
Yet the best goal of the night went to Rose Lavelle, whose volley from outside the box curled perfectly into the side netting to give the USWNT a 3-0 lead at the half.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2025
That marked a significant cooling of tensions, after a recent volley of tariff threats and fresh export curbs threatened to derail the bilateral relationship.
—Bloomberg, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
Varsho volleyed a two-run, game-tying blast over the center-field fence.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
The Padres added a run against Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen in the fifth when Machado walked, Bogaerts volleyed his second single into right field, Sheets reached on a fielder’s choice in which the Diamondbacks flubbed a catch and Jake Cronenworth walked.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for volley
Cite this Entry
“Volley.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/volley. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
volley
1 of 2 noun
vol·ley
ˈväl-ē 
plural volleys
1
: a group of missiles (as arrows or bullets) passing through the air
2
: a firing of a number of weapons (as rifles) at the same time
3
: a bursting forth of many things at once
a volley of praise
4
: the act of volleying
volley
2 of 2 verb
volleyed; volleying
1
: to shoot in a volley
2
: to hit an object (as a ball) while it is in the air before it touches the ground
Medical Definition
volley
noun
vol·ley
ˈväl-ē
plural volleys
: a burst of simultaneous or immediately sequential nerve impulses passing to an end organ, synapse, or center
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