spectator sport
noun
1
: a sport (such as football, baseball, ice hockey, etc.) that many people watch
2
: something that people watch other people do without becoming involved themselves
For many, politics has become a spectator sport.
Examples of spectator sport in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Building new businesses is not a spectator sport.
—
Andrew Binns, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Democracy is not a spectator sport.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
In these times, democracy is not a spectator sport.
—Carl Yaeckel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 July 2025
Already locked into a weekly broadcast contract with CBS, with a slick marketing campaign behind it, the PBR Team Series is gaining popularity as a spectator sport.
—Alex Lowe, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2025
Democracy cannot be a spectator sport, especially at this time.
—Angus King, Time, 18 Apr. 2025
Japan is seen as an important market for baseball, which was introduced to the country in 1872 and is now its most popular spectator sport.
—Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC News, 18 Mar. 2025
Football, also known as American football or gridiron football, is the most popular spectator sport in the United States.
—Michael Bartiromo, The Hill, 6 Feb. 2025
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Andrew Binns, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Democracy is not a spectator sport.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
In these times, democracy is not a spectator sport.
—Carl Yaeckel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 July 2025
Already locked into a weekly broadcast contract with CBS, with a slick marketing campaign behind it, the PBR Team Series is gaining popularity as a spectator sport.
—Alex Lowe, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2025
Democracy cannot be a spectator sport, especially at this time.
—Angus King, Time, 18 Apr. 2025
Japan is seen as an important market for baseball, which was introduced to the country in 1872 and is now its most popular spectator sport.
—Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC News, 18 Mar. 2025
Football, also known as American football or gridiron football, is the most popular spectator sport in the United States.
—Michael Bartiromo, The Hill, 6 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spectator sport.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spectator%20sport. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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