slurve

American

[slurv] / slɜrv /

noun

Baseball.

a pitch similar to a slider in delivery but with more curve to the ball’s path.

He throws a hard slurve, which has resulted in a lot of swinging strikeouts.

Etymology

Origin of slurve

First recorded in 1975–80; blend of slider ( def. ) and curve ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Brewers starter José Quintana left him an inside slurve.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 17, 2025

Berrios threw his slurve 39 times, more than any other pitch.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 8, 2024

The only base hit off Berrios’ slurve was France’s broken-bat single in the seventh inning that ended his outing.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 8, 2024

But Urías slammed the door, striking out Bryant looking at an 82-mph slurve and getting C.J.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2023

Her slider and curveball combination — her slurve — is a killer.

From New York Times • Jan. 27, 2020

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023