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arm wrestling

noun
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Definition of arm wrestling

: a form of wrestling in which two opponents sit face to face gripping usually their right hands, set corresponding elbows firmly on a surface (such as a tabletop), and attempt to force each other's arm down

— called also Indian wrestling

Examples of arm wrestling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web At the diner after church one morning, father challenges son to an arm wrestling match right at the table. — Jocelyn Noveck, Detroit Free Press, "‘Waves’ explores the ebb, flow of a family’s love," 5 Dec. 2019 Enjoy bike games, live music, arm wrestling, beer garden, biker movies, a bike show, fitness bar competition, tattoo contest and more. — Chris Sims, Indianapolis Star, "Here are 32 September festivals to kick off your fall," 2 Sep. 2019 At the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, the 12,000-square-foot Level Up offers classic pool, foosball and ping pong as well as an arm wrestling table and Giant Pac-Man. — Elaine Glusac, chicagotribune.com, "See ya, Celine. Hello, Gaga. Vegas is getting a millennial makeover as resorts cater to the next generation of hedonists.," 27 Aug. 2019 The day includes moonshine shots and arm wrestling, plus Tyler brings Hannah flowers and Jed steals a kiss in an effort to stand out from the rest. — David Oliver, USA TODAY, "'The Bachelorette': Naked bungee-jumping, Luke offers to forgive 'boneheaded mistake'," 18 June 2019 Also, [Hannah] is the strongest in a lot of ways (especially arm wrestling). — Katherine J. Igoe, Marie Claire, "Hannah Brown and Her 'Bachelorette' Winner Have Reportedly Broken Up," 2 July 2019 Think arm wrestling is just something children do at recess? — Claire Rafford, azcentral, "With a grip on sport and friendship, arm wrestlers embrace challenge at championships," 22 June 2019 In the ensuing months, Putin would also be pictured arm wrestling, riding a horse and practicing judo. — Washington Post, "How the Kremlin turned the Russian president into a global icon," 12 July 2018 Most of the conservative women probably could beat them in arm wrestling. — Fox News, "Mike Huckabee: Peter Fonda ought to be in jail," 27 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'arm wrestling.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of arm wrestling

1899, in the meaning defined above

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Time Traveler for arm wrestling

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The first known use of arm wrestling was in 1899

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Cite this Entry

“Arm wrestling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arm%20wrestling. Accessed 26 Feb. 2020.

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More Definitions for arm wrestling

arm wrestling

noun

English Language Learners Definition of arm wrestling

: a contest in which two people sit facing each other and join usually their right hands together and then try to force each other's arm down

See the full definition for arm wrestling in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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