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pinball machine
noun
: an amusement device in which a ball propelled by a plunger scores points as it rolls down a slanting surface among pins and targets
called also pinball game
Examples of pinball machine in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Challenge 2: In the final immunity challenge, which involved a puzzle and a giant pinball machine, Petty came close to winning, but Ben came out on a top, locking down his first win of the season and a spot in the final three.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 23 May 2024
On Saturday, Peabody Heights will open The Dugout, a new space within the brewery housing dozens of games: retro offerings like Space Invaders and Pac-Man, Japanese dancing games like Dance Dance Revolution and other arcade favorites, like racing games and five pinball machines.
—Amanda Yeager, Baltimore Sun, 1 Mar. 2024
After leaving Darkside, Retail Track drove over the Hudson River to Middletown, N.Y. to visit Rock Fantasy, a record store/pinball machine/video game arcade.
—Ed Christman, Billboard, 23 Apr. 2024
The final room contained replicas of costumes from Peter Jackson’s film adaptations and a Lord of the Rings pinball machine.
—Nick Bowlin, Harper's Magazine, 24 Mar. 2024
Kevin does, at least, put wee Tommy in front of a pinball machine, and the kid discovers his talent.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2024
For the latter, Brooklyn Paramount provides spacious artist accommodations with showers, a workout space and even a game room with Pac-Man and a pinball machine.
—Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 27 Mar. 2024
The 25,000-square-foot Pinball Hall of Fame, operated by the nonprofit Las Vegas Pinball Collectors Club, houses more than 400 pinball machines from the past and present.
—Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 25 Jan. 2024
The original 1993 Broadway musical, with its flying Tommy and galloping pinball machine, was a visual groundbreaker, warmed by excellent performances.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pinball machine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1936, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near pinball machine
Cite this Entry
“Pinball machine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pinball%20machine. Accessed 10 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
pinball machine
noun
pin·ball machine
ˈpin-ˌbȯl-
: a game in which a ball shot by a plunger scores points as it rolls around a slanting surface among pins and targets
More from Merriam-Webster on pinball machine
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pinball machine
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