Topspin

noun, verb

noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A rotational motion, especially that given to a ball, in which the upper surface spins in the direction of motion. countable, uncountable

    "The tennis star was famed for her topspin."

  2. 2
    forward spin (usually of a moving ball) that is imparted by an upward stroke wordnet
  3. 3
    An edgy, quirky or otherwise engaging quality that holds the interest of the audience. uncountable

    "Well remembered as a visual comedienne, she also had the verbal knack of putting all sorts of topspin on a line."

Verb
  1. 1
    To spin (a ball) with this motion. transitive

    "He could keep winning through attrition, with a relentless barrage of topspinning ground strokes and a tireless defense of his own side, where would-be winners go to die."

Synonyms

All synonyms
forespinforespin

Example

More examples

"The tennis star was famed for her topspin."

Etymology

From top + spin.

Related phrases

top-spinner

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.