hoop

1 of 2

noun

often attributive
1
: a circular strip used especially for holding together the staves of containers or as a plaything
2
a
: a circular figure or object : ring
b
: the rim of a basketball goal
broadly : the entire goal
3
: a circle or series of circles of flexible material used to expand a woman's skirt
4
: basketball
usually used in plural
hooplike
ˈhüp-ˌlīk How to pronounce hoop (audio)
 also  ˈhu̇p
adjective

hoop

2 of 2

verb

hooped; hooping; hoops

transitive verb

: to bind or fasten with or as if with a hoop
hooper noun

Examples of hoop in a Sentence

Noun made Christmas garlands from hoops of red and green construction paper
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In the music video, Adonis wears a basketball jersey and raps while shooting hoops with his friends and drawing on a whiteboard, with Drake even popping into the video for a cameo. Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 Grab your solar glasses and a favorite hoop skirt, a downtown Greenwood spot known for its root beer floats, tenderloins and taste for nostalgia is reopening in time for a total solar eclipse. John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 7 Mar. 2024 The Big 12 Fan Fest also starts Thursday and runs until March 16, bringing a lineup of hoops challenges, gameday giveaways and activities for all ages at Grand Boulevard in front of the arena. Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 7 Mar. 2024 Women’s college hoops booms as a sport, and Clark has led the surge of interest, becoming a one-woman economic force who sells out arenas and sends after-market ticket prices skyrocketing. Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2024 Loewe Puzzle Fold tote bag Cos zip-up cardigan J.Crew Carolina pants Laura Lombardi Isola hoop earrings Christian Vierig/Getty Images The Focal Point A burgundy shoulder bag is a perfect, subtle hint of color when paired with a sleek all-black ensemble. Christina Holevas, Vogue, 1 Mar. 2024 My favorite look has been these chunky gold hoops paired with a black turtleneck and my hair pulled back in a low ponytail, and also dangling over bare shoulders with hair tucked behind the ears and flowing long behind a black off-the-shoulder top. Kristy Alpert, Travel + Leisure, 1 Mar. 2024 During an event on Feb. 17, preceding the 73rd NBA All-Star Saturday Night festivities and the Slam Dunk Contest, Tatum addressed a small crowd during a live podcast interview with hoops podcaster Kenny Beecham. Andy Frye, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 The star, a Louis Vuitton ambassador, wore her hair in chic loose waves, adding some silver hoop earrings to the glam look. Becca Longmire, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024
Verb
So far, Portis' strong-suits aren't making coffee, spotting no difference between two identical photos of Fiserv Forum, catching a phishing scam or shooting paper balls into a garbage can hoop. Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2024 Chalamet sported a black hoodie with a matching baseball cap, while Jenner rocked hooped earrings and a stylish updo hairstyle with a black, strapless top. Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 5 Sep. 2023 The advent of one-and-done college players means that many arrive ill-equipped to hoop with adults. Kevin Sherrington, Dallas News, 21 June 2023 For example, a weighted hula hoop workout could include six rounds of hula hooping. Erin Warwood, womenshealthmag.com, 8 Apr. 2023 Janie Taylor did the costumes; the men’s leotards are gray on top and charcoal on the bottom, with a thin red waistband, whereas the women’s are hooped black and white on top and white on the bottom, with the same red waistband. Jeffrey Gantz, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Apr. 2023 These guys can hoop, too. Chip Scoggins, Star Tribune, 14 Mar. 2021 Nevertheless, panniers, or hooped petticoats undergirding the hips, and their 16th- and 17th-century relatives, farthingales, stepped out of the history books and onto the spring runways. Véronique Hyland, ELLE, 21 Mar. 2023 Anybody can hoop in this tournament. Tom Green | Tgreen@al.com, al, 15 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hoop.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English hōp; akin to Middle Dutch hoep ring, hoop

First Known Use

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hoop was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near hoop

Cite this Entry

“Hoop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoop. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hoop

noun
ˈhu̇p,
ˈhüp
1
: a circular band used for holding together the strips that make up the sides of a barrel
also : a similar band used as a toy
2
a
: a circular figure or object : ring
b
: the rim of a basketball goal
broadly : the entire goal
3
: basketball
usually used in plural
4
: a circle or series of circles of flexible material used to expand a woman's skirt
hoop verb

More from Merriam-Webster on hoop

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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