arena

noun

are·​na ə-ˈrē-nə How to pronounce arena (audio)
Synonyms of arenanext
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
According to Billboard, that path is meant to symbolize the journey from Korea’s royal past into a modern public arena. Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2026 In the second bout of the day, Hyper Misao rode into the arena on a bike wearing green tights, a cape and an eye mask. Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 19 Mar. 2026 By packing the 20-year-old arena to the tune of 19,478 against the Heat, the Hornets tied the franchise’s single-season record for sellouts at the edifice at the corner of Trade and Caldwell with 16. Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 18 Mar. 2026 His time at the U was marred by the COVID-19 shutdown of college sports, which prematurely ended the 2019-2020 season and caused much of the following season to be played in mostly empty arenas. Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 18 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for arena

Word History

Etymology

Latin harena, arena sand, sandy place

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of arena was in 1600

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Arena.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arena. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

arena

noun
are·​na ə-ˈrē-nə How to pronounce arena (audio)
1
: an enclosed area used for public entertainment
2
: a building containing an arena
3
: a field of activity
the political arena

More from Merriam-Webster on arena

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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