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
There is plenty of coarseness in American arenas totally unrelated to MAGA or Trumpism, of course.
—
Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 11 Oct. 2025
The Sharks are part of his portfolio and a new arena surrounded by an entertainment district might be the goal, but the team is not just an investment for him or an expensive bauble.
—Eric Stephens, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Near the entrance, carvings of boar hunts, bear fights and acrobats recall the spectacle that once filled the arena.
—Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025
The eight-thousand-seat arena did just that, drawing crowds from across the state with shows from every big name in music.
—Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arena
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Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 11 Oct. 2025
The Sharks are part of his portfolio and a new arena surrounded by an entertainment district might be the goal, but the team is not just an investment for him or an expensive bauble.
—Eric Stephens, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Near the entrance, carvings of boar hunts, bear fights and acrobats recall the spectacle that once filled the arena.
—Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025
The eight-thousand-seat arena did just that, drawing crowds from across the state with shows from every big name in music.
—Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arena
Cite this Entry
“Arena.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arena. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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