Cannonball run means: An unsanctioned speed record drive from New York City to Los Angeles, in order to achieve a new record.. It is informal slang, fine in casual speech but not suited to formal contexts. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
cannonball run
(slang) An unsanctioned speed record drive from New York City to Los Angeles, in order to achieve a new record.
Definitions
US
#1·Apr 26, 2026US
(slang) An unsanctioned speed record drive from New York City to Los Angeles, in order to achieve a new record.
For parents
Cannonball run means: An unsanctioned speed record drive from New York City to Los Angeles, in order to achieve a new record.. It is informal slang, fine in casual speech but not suited to formal contexts. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
cannonball run means: An unsanctioned speed record drive from New York City to Los Angeles, in order to achieve a new record.. Register: very informal, slang. Suitable only for casual conversation, chat and social media. Do not use in business, academic or news writing. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
Cluster: stimulants
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Slang from Black American Vernacular English (AAVE), hip-hop, drag and ballroom culture, the Caribbean, and NYC street vocabulary. The single largest source of new mainstream English slang in living memory.
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Other words near "cannonball run" (C)
cannibalcannibal boatcannibal sandwichcannistaCannoncannonballcannon cockercannot make itcannycanoecanoemancanola oil
Browse all slang words starting with C.
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Semantically related
- cannonball75%
(slang, figuratively) Something that moves fast, especially a fast train.
- cannonball68%
(tennis) A served ball that travels with great speed and describes little or no arc in flight.
- cannonball61%
(diving) The act of jumping (typically into a swimming pool) with the legs bent and the arms wrapped around the knees to create a large splash, mimicking the flight and shape of a cannonball.
- speedrun60%
To do something or undergo some process as quickly as possible.
- cane it60%
British slang meaning to go very fast or to go hard at something — whether driving at speed, working intensely, or engaging in heavy drinking or drug use. The cane element suggests hitting something hard and repeatedly. Context determines whether it refers to speed, effort, or consumption. Common in British casual speech, particularly in car culture and youth social contexts.