What does "volley" mean?
The simultaneous firing of a number of missiles or bullets; the projectiles so fired.
Volley
/ˈvɒli/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The simultaneous firing of a number of missiles or bullets; the projectiles so fired.
- Grammar: volley is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: burst, salvo, antiaircraft barrage, arrow.
- Useful contrasts: answer, calm, catch.
- Usage evidence: The enemy fired a volley of shots at us.
How to use "volley"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "volley" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "volley" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "volley" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "volley" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "volley" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "burst" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "volley", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The simultaneous firing of a number of missiles or bullets; the projectiles so fired.
"Fiery darts in flaming volies flew."
- 2 a tennis return made by hitting the ball before it bounces wordnet
- 3 A burst or emission of many things at once.
"a volley of words"
- 4 rapid simultaneous discharge of firearms wordnet
- 5 The flight of a ball just before it bounces.
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A shot in which the ball is played before it hits the ground.
"But there was nothing he could do about Villa's second when Agbonlahor crossed from the left and Bent finished with a precision volley."
- 7 A sending of the ball full to the top of the wicket.
Verb
- 1 To fire a volley of shots transitive
- 2 utter rapidly wordnet
- 3 To hit the ball before it touches the ground transitive
"Boudewijn Zenden hit the post from 25 yards for the home side before Jody Craddock volleyed Wolves ahead from 10 yards against his former club."
- 4 make a volley wordnet
- 5 To be fired in a volley intransitive
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 discharge in, or as if in, a volley wordnet
- 7 To make a volley intransitive
- 8 hit before it touches the ground wordnet
- 9 To sound together
- 10 be dispersed in a volley wordnet
Example
"The enemy fired a volley of shots at us."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "volley"?
Common synonyms include: burst, salvo, antiaircraft barrage, arrow, arrowhead, badinage.
How do you use "volley" in a sentence?
The enemy fired a volley of shots at us.
How do you pronounce "volley"?
Pronounced /ˈvɒli/.
Etymology
From Middle French volée (“flight”), from Vulgar Latin volta, from Late Latin volatus.