activewear

noun

ac·​tive·​wear ˈak-tiv-ˌwer 

: athletic clothing especially when used for both exercise and casual wear

Is activewear just for the gym? Hit the streets in almost any city and you'll immediately get your answer: a resounding, no. Whenever we're out we see girls shopping in yoga clothes, or mixing sweats into their day-to-day looks.

—Christina Holevas

also : athleisure

Whether for running laps, running errands, serving on the court or serving chic style, these breathable activewear dresses prove that performance and style go hand in hand.

—Layne Van Vranken

Examples of activewear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Underwear, socks, T-shirts, tank tops and activewear should all go in after every wear. — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026

This belt bag from Pander looks strikingly similar to a more expensive activewear brand’s. — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 17 Sep. 2026

The T-shirts are available under Zalando’s private labels Yourturn, a genderless streetwear brand, and Even&Odd, an activewear brand. — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 15 Sep. 2026

O’Neill has to reposition the brand to appeal to younger shoppers who have shifted their spending to Alo for yoga clothes or FP Movement and Vuori for activewear and continue to dial back discounts. — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

active entry 1 + -wear (as in sportswear, underwear)

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for activewear

• concessionaire
• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• aware
• beware
• bugbear
• carfare
• childcare

Kids Definition

activewear

noun

ac·​tive·​wear ˈak-tiv-ˌwa(ə)r 

-ˌwe(ə)r

: sportswear