sport

1 of 3

verb

sported; sporting; sports

intransitive verb

1
a
: to amuse oneself : frolic
lambs sporting in the meadow
b
: to engage in a sport
2
a
: to mock or ridicule something
b
: to speak or act in jest : trifle
3
[sport entry 2] : to deviate or vary abruptly from type (as by bud variation) : mutate

transitive verb

1
: to display or wear usually ostentatiously : boast
sporting expensive new shoes
2
[sport entry 2] : to put forth as a sport or bud variation

sport

2 of 3

noun

1
a
: a source of diversion : recreation
b
: sexual play
c(1)
: physical activity engaged in for pleasure
(2)
: a particular activity (such as an athletic game) so engaged in
2
b
: often mean-spirited jesting : mockery, derision
3
a
: something tossed or driven about in or as if in play
4
a
b
: a person considered with respect to living up to the ideals of sportsmanship
a good sport
a poor sport
c
: a companionable person
5
: an individual exhibiting a sudden deviation from type beyond the normal limits of individual variation usually as a result of mutation especially of somatic tissue

sport

3 of 3

adjective

variants or sports
: of, relating to, or suitable for sports
especially : styled in a manner suitable for casual or informal wear
sport coats
Choose the Right Synonym for sport

fun, jest, sport, game, play mean action or speech that provides amusement or arouses laughter.

fun usually implies laughter or gaiety but may imply merely a lack of serious or ulterior purpose.

played cards just for fun

jest implies lack of earnestness and may suggest a hoaxing or teasing.

hurt by remarks said only in jest

sport applies especially to the arousing of laughter against someone.

teasing begun in sport led to anger

game is close to sport, and often stresses mischievous or malicious fun.

made game of their poor relations

play stresses the opposition to earnest without implying any malice or mischief.

pretended to strangle his brother in play

Examples of sport in a Sentence

Verb She showed up at the party sporting a bright red hat. from sailing to snorkeling, each day we sported at a different activity offered by the beach resort Noun She likes to play sport. Ice-skating with friends is my favorite sport.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The day is celebrated with historical reenactments, sporting events and parades. James Powel, USA TODAY, 15 Apr. 2024 The bow also sports a garage for storing a tender or Jet Ski. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 15 Apr. 2024 They were first spotted together at sporting events, including the Laver Cup in September 2022 and the Australian Open in January 2023. Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 14 Apr. 2024 There used to be two main types of seating at sporting events: luxury suites, and a seat in the stands. Kevin Draper Doug Mills, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2024 In the 30-second ad, which was shown during a recent Golden State Warriors basketball game and has 1.4 million views on YouTube, CEO Patti Poppe shakes hands with workers while sporting a hard hat. Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 12 Apr. 2024 While most gentlemen sported the local casual cocktail party standard of dark suits, tees and trainers, others flaunted colorful tailored suits, albeit with T-shirts and trainers. Merle Ginsberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024 The brow guard sports a goddess-like figure flanked by lions. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Apr. 2024 The full-beam owner’s suite sports a super king-size bed, a giant walk-in dressing room, a scenic lounge, and a private terrace. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024
Noun
However, the new venture will be pooling sports content among the Joint Venture Partners. Todd Spangler, Variety, 16 Apr. 2024 His popularity has also grown exponentially beyond sports circles due to media and fan obsession with his ongoing romance with Taylor Swift. James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Apr. 2024 Clark’s success has encouraged some brands to invest more in women’s college athletics across the board, Larry Mann, a former VP of sales at ESPN and founding partner at sports marketing agency rEvolution, said. Alyssa Meyers, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2024 The images will be of all its sports ambassadors over the years. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 16 Apr. 2024 There are four years remaining until the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles — lots of time to prepare for the international sports event — but local organizers appeared to take a step backward this week. David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024 The final ticket resale will take place on April 17 at 10 a.m. for all sports and can be found here. Brenna Gauchat, The Arizona Republic, 16 Apr. 2024 The Alta Academy is committed to empowering our community with access to world-class instructional content and fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth among combat sports enthusiasts of all skill levels. Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2024 Sixth Street is one of the first investment firms to launch a sports team from scratch. Byluisa Beltran, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024
Adjective
Marissa Meyer Meyer, who was a multi-sport athlete at Fairfield High School, is a finalist for the 2023 Sorensen Award, given annually to the nation's top women's collegiate rugby player. Shelby Dermer, The Enquirer, 6 Apr. 2023 The multi-sport athlete shot 56% from the field and 82% from the free-throw line, and graduates with over 1,000 career points. Brian Haenchen, The Indianapolis Star, 14 Mar. 2023 Multi-sport athletes Aiden Jones and Aiden Link all played two years. Brendan Connelly, The Enquirer, 6 Mar. 2023 The newest set of football immortals included former Auburn High School multi-sport athlete and Troy football standout DeMarcus Ware. Mark Inabinett | Minabinett@al.com, al, 9 Feb. 2023 Woods seemingly was a multi-sport athlete at Northwestern, based on his Hudl page highlighting his time as a football player for the Colts. Kirkland Crawford, Detroit Free Press, 1 Feb. 2023 The multi-sport athlete dropped 29 in a three-point win over Clinton Central and came close to triple-doubles against Covenant Christian, Delphi and Frankfort. ... Brian Haenchen, The Indianapolis Star, 30 Jan. 2023 Wednesday at the start of NCAA’s final signing period of the school year, the multi-talented, multi-sport Francis Parker senior signed to play football for Army. San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2023 Gamers of all ages will love the TopGolf Swing Suite featuring a large screen, several multi-sport games and comfortable lounge seating. Gabi De La Rosa, Chron, 27 Jan. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sport.' 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

Verb

Middle English, to divert, disport, short for disporten

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

circa 1586, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sport was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near sport

Cite this Entry

“Sport.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sport. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

sport

1 of 3 verb
ˈspō(ə)rt How to pronounce sport (audio)
ˈspȯ(ə)rt
1
: to amuse oneself : frolic
2
: to speak or act in fun
3

sport

2 of 3 noun
1
b
: physical activity (as hunting, running, or an athletic game) engaged in for pleasure
2
b
: fun entry 1 sense 3
make sport of someone
3
: a person who shows good sportsmanship
4
: an individual that shows a sudden major change from the normal type usually as a result of a mutation
a yellow sport among the red apples

sport

3 of 3 adjective
variants or sports
: of, relating to, or suitable for sports
sports equipment
also : made in a style suitable for casual or informal wear
a sport coat

Medical Definition

: an individual exhibiting a sudden deviation from type beyond the normal limits of individual variation usually as a result of mutation especially of somatic tissue

More from Merriam-Webster on sport

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!