Cannonball

/ˈkænənˌbɔːl/

Synonyms for "cannonball" (91 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Closest matches (19)

Noun(5 words)
round shotball diveball-shapedcannon ballcannonball dive
antelopearrowballbar shotbelly busterbelly flopbelly whopperbird shotblue darterblue streakbuckshotbulletcannon shotcase shot

Strong matches (27)

coursercrash divecrossbar shotdartdivedropduck shotdumdum bulleteagleelectricityexpanding bulletexpress trainfallflashgainergazellegrapegrapeshotgreased lightninggreyhound
Show 2 more words
Noun(5 words)
divefireforcefulhigh powerediron shot

Related words (45)

jackknifejet planelangrel shotlightlightningmanstopping bulletmercurynose diveparachute jumppelletpitchplungepouncepower divequicksilverrifle ballrocketround shotrunning divescared rabbit
Show 19 more words
shellshotshrapnelsky diveslugsplit shotstationary divestoopstreakstreak of lightningstriped snakeswallowswan diveswoopthoughtthunderbolttorrenttracerwind
Noun(6 words)

Choosing the right synonym

  • Closest matches in this entry: round shot, antelope, arrow, ball, ball dive.
  • Sentence evidence is available for cannonball, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
  • Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.

Synonym selection checklist

  • Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
  • Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
  • Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "cannonball".
  • Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "cannonball"

Keep "cannonball" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.

If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.

Replacement workflow

1. Preserve meaning

Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "cannonball" intact in the sentence you are editing.

2. Tune tone

Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.

3. Re-read context

Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.

Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.

Final fit check

After choosing a replacement for "cannonball", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.

If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "cannonball" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

5 relation types

More general

12 entries
ammunitiondiveintensitymissileordnancephysical propertypowerprojectileprojectile dischargeshapevelocitywater entry

More specific

11 entries
belly flopdense sphereextreme forcefull cannonballheadfirst divehigh velocityiron sphererapid accelerationround shotsolid shotsteel ball

Collocations

16 entries
artillery projectilecannonball Adderleycannonball densitycannonball divecannonball impactcannonball jellyfishcannonball projectilescannonball runcannonball shapecannonball shotcannonball trajectorycannonball velocitycannonballsiron balliron cannonballsolid shot

Inflections

5 entries
cannonballedcannonballingcannonballsmore cannonballlikemost cannonballlike

Derivations

5 entries

Sample sentences

11 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

Venus gets so hot during the day that it could melt a lead cannonball. The temperature rises to 484 degrees Celsius on the side facing the Sun.

Source: tatoeba (3955453)

Tom is a human cannonball.

Source: tatoeba (6769232)

The first human cannonball was a 14-year-old girl called "Zazel".

Source: tatoeba (6769275)

Some kind of cannonball.

Source: tatoeba (8666934)

Showing 4 of 11 available sentences.

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "cannonball"?

Closest matches include round shot, antelope, arrow, ball, ball dive.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "cannonball"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "cannonball"