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
Bush wore sparkling pants and black sweater while Harris sported a white button-down and gray blazer. Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024 Geared toward outdoor living, Spear sports an expansive sundeck, multiple alfresco dining spots, and plenty of open-air lounge areas. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 22 Mar. 2024 New Balance Women's Fresh Foam X Hierro V7 GTX Trail Running Shoes $140 $80 Trail running shoes are great options for hikers looking for a sneaker-like shoe to get them through their trek, and this New Balance is sporting a pretty massive markdown. Aly Walansky, Travel + Leisure, 22 Mar. 2024 But Badu took umbrage with Bey's hairstyle: long braids with colorful beads, which seemed a bit too similar to a look she's sported in the not-so-distant past. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 20 Mar. 2024 The men’s team will sport the jerseys in its Concacaf Nations League semifinals matchup against Jamaica in Dallas on March 21, while the women’s team will wear them during the upcoming SheBelieves Cup on April 6 in Atlanta and April 9 in Columbus, Ohio. Pueng Vongs, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024 Imagine the world’s wealthiest woman strolling down Wall Street sporting an all-black outfit, including a veil, and smoking cheap cigars with a group of reporters in tow. Bywill Daniel, Fortune, 17 Mar. 2024 Young sported a Bucks jersey to better ensure Hunt’s crowd would like him, but the crowd would have loved him even without the nod to the hometown heroes. Journal Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2024 There’s a church that evokes the tower of Babel, and a watering hole called The Range that sports a stage for open mic nights. Jonah Gercke, SPIN, 15 Mar. 2024
Noun
Many of the Chief’s competitors have been addressing their desire to gain more non-game-day revenue by building complexes miles away from their stadiums where their business and sports operations adjoin practice facilities and tourist attractions that celebrate the team. Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024 The restaurant is decorated with family photos, sports flags, animal taxidermy, pictures of locals, display shotguns and more. Jenny Rudolph, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Mar. 2024 In 2023, Americans gambled a record $119.84 billion on sports, a 27.5% increase from the previous year, according to the American Gaming Association’s Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker. Jacob Lev, CNN, 22 Mar. 2024 The currency of sports, whether in the media or by fans, is too often discord and dissatisfaction. Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2024 People who picked up the sport after watching Drive to Survive may not realize this, but there was a brief period during the 1970s when six-wheeled F1 cars were a thing on grid. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2024 Ash began to play ice hockey at age 5, and her passion for this sport continues to grow. Marcus Reichley, The Arizona Republic, 11 Mar. 2024 Jordan Spieth’s disqualification reignites ‘dumbest rule in all of sports’ debate Lewis’ colleague, analyst Brandel Chamblee, disagreed with the verdict. Jack Bantock, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024 Winners are announced each Friday online and in the print edition of the Mercury News and East Bay Times sports sections. Darren Sabedra, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 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 28 Mar. 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
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