: a Japanese art of self-defense employing hand strikes and kicks to disable or subdue an opponent
Examples of karate in a Sentence
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Per his account, Gunner is interested in hummingbirds, karate and soccer.
—
Katie Mannion, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
Lots of football, cricket, karate.
—Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
Then a martial arts center moved in and taught karate lessons for a while in the 1990s.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Dec. 2025
So do the gyrations, the karate poses, etc.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for karate
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Katie Mannion, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
Lots of football, cricket, karate.
—Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
Then a martial arts center moved in and taught karate lessons for a while in the 1990s.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Dec. 2025
So do the gyrations, the karate poses, etc.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for karate
Cite this Entry
“Karate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/karate. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
karate
noun
ka·ra·te
kə-ˈrät-ē 
: a Japanese art of self-defense without a weapon
Etymology
from Japanese karate, literally, "empty hand"
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