arena

noun

are·​na ə-ˈrē-nə 

1

: an area in a Roman amphitheater for gladiatorial combats

2

a

: an enclosed area used for public entertainment

b

: a building containing an arena

3

a

: a sphere of interest, activity, or competition

the political arena

b

: a place or situation for controversy

in the public arena

Synonyms of arena

• auditorium
• amphitheater

Examples of arena in a Sentence

Congress became an arena of opposing views.

the toughest political arena in the world

The economic arena has been dominated by that country.

Recent Examples on the Web

The lobbyist helped secure Downtown Plaza as the site for the new Kings arena, putting together a deal with real estate developers to purchase the site and later sell it for a significant profit. —Sacbee.com, 6 Mar. 2026

Sports is an arena that Barbie has been increasingly making inroads into. —Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026

The proximity is a major draw for visiting professional athletes—including NBA and NHL teams—who stay here for the literal one-minute commute to the arena. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Mar. 2026

Gwanghwamun isn’t a stadium or arena. —Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin harena, arena sand, sandy place

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing arena

• arena football
• arena theater

Rhymes for arena

• athena
• cantina
• carina
• carmina
• catena
• czarina
• domina
• equina
• farina
• galena
• glossina
• hyena

Kids Definition

arena

noun

are·​na ə-ˈrē-nə 

1

: an enclosed area used for public entertainment

2

: a building containing an arena

3

: a field of activity

the political arena