hurtle

IPA/ˈhɜːtl/
KK[hˈɚtəl]IPA/ˈhɜːrtl/

hurtle — verb

  • hurtlepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • hurtleshe / she / it
  • hurtledpast simple
  • hurtling-ing form

1. to rush forward very fast in an uncontrolled or unsafe manner, typically because

1.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to rush forward very fast in an uncontrolled or unsafe manner, typically because of momentum, gravity, or a loss of control

Example

A delivery van hurtled down the icy hill, its brakes screeching the whole way.

hurtle + adverb/preposition phrase (down/along/toward/through)

The cyclist lost control and hurtled over the handlebars onto the grass.

Common collocations
  • hurtle down
  • hurtle toward
  • hurtle through
  • hurtle past
Synonyms
  • rush

    less dramatic; can describe ordinary speed without danger

  • plummet

    specifically downward; implies falling more than forward motion

  • careen

    suggests swaying or lurching side to side while moving fast

Antonyms
  • crawl

    to move extremely slowly

  • creep

    to move slowly and carefully

Grammar Patterns

hurtle + adverb/preposition phrase

Usage Note

Almost always followed by an adverb or prepositional phrase indicating direction (down, along, toward, through, past). The subject is typically a moving vehicle, a person who has fallen, or an object set in motion.

Common Mistakes

The car hurtled.
The car hurtled down the sloping road.
hurtle almost always needs a direction phrase; it is rarely used alone.
He hurtled with his friends at the park.
The boys hurtled down the hill on their scooters.
hurtle implies fast, uncontrolled movement, not ordinary playing or running.

2. to send something flying through the air with tremendous force, as if launching

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to send something flying through the air with tremendous force, as if launching or flinging it

Example

The pitcher hurtled the ball toward the catcher at more than ninety miles an hour.

hurtle + object + toward + destination

Vikram hurtled the empty bottle into the recycling bin from across the kitchen.

Common collocations
  • hurtle something at
  • hurtle something into
  • hurtle something over
  • hurtle something toward
Synonyms
  • hurl

    the closest synonym; essentially interchangeable, though hurl is more common

  • fling

    suggests a wild, sweeping arm motion rather than a precise throw

  • lob

    a gentler, higher-arc throw; much less forceful than hurtle

Antonyms
  • catch

    to receive something thrown

  • hold

    to keep something in your hand rather than throwing it

Grammar Patterns

hurtle + object + adverb/preposition phrase

Usage Note

Frequently takes a direct object plus a prepositional phrase that indicates the target (at, toward) or destination (into, onto, over). The object must be something that can be thrown by hand or launched.

Common Mistakes

He hurtled the ball.
He hurtled the ball toward his friend.
hurtle needs both an object and a direction phrase in this sense.
She hurtled him a book.
She hurtled the book at the shelf.
hurts not used for giving; it is for forceful throwing.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Hurtle, rush, plummet, careen, and speed all describe fast motion, but each carries a different tone. Rush is the most neutral and common — you can rush to a meeting without any danger (I rushed to catch the bus). Plummet always means falling straight down at high speed, usually with disastrous results (The plane plummeted into the ocean). Careen adds a sense of swaying or lurching from side to side while moving fast (The bus careened down the narrow street, scraping both walls). Speed as a verb simply means go fast (The car sped along the highway). Hurtle sits between these: it means forward speed that feels out of control and risky — you cannot hurtle without a hint of danger. A car that speeds on a highway is just going fast; a car that hurtles has lost its driver's full command.

rush ↗plummet ↗careen ↗speed ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • the road
  • the hill
  • the track
  • the intersection
  • the ground
  • the air

Adverbs

Phrases

  • at full speed
  • out of control
  • with tremendous force

Prepositions

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Hurtle comes from Middle English hurtelen, meaning 'to strike against' or 'to dash'. That word developed from Old French hurter ('to strike, knock'). The original sense was about forceful collision; over time it shifted to describe the violent forward motion that often causes such a collision. The throwing sense (Sense 2) preserves the original idea of applying force, while the rushing sense (Sense 1) focuses on the uncontrolled movement itself.