athletic
adjective
ath·let·ic
ath-ˈle-tik 
nonstandard
ˌa-thə-ˈle-
2
3
: used by athletes
athletic shoes/equipment
the school's athletic fields
4
Examples of athletic in a Sentence
They each received an athletic scholarship to the school.
Students can get discount tickets for all athletic events.
His athletic career spanned three decades.
She has great athletic ability.
She's tall and has an athletic build.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kneepkens isn’t the biggest or most athletic player and struggled defensively throughout her college career.
—
Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2026
Desperate for an outlet, Stanko reached out to a friend who was an experienced runner to ask for their advice, believing that setting an athletic goal, such as completing a marathon, would give her something to focus on.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 12 Apr. 2026
It's been an eventful first month on the job for Pat Lyons, the new athletic director at the University of Rhode Island, who takes the reins in Kingston during a volatile time in college sports, with the billions of dollars available in media rights turning the NCAA into a conduit for big business.
—Kathleen Hill, The Providence Journal, 11 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, Paws to Relax remains a popular feature during finals week and the dogs also visit dining halls and dorms and meet with the athletic teams.
—Mikayla Bunnell, Hartford Courant, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for athletic
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.
Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2026
Desperate for an outlet, Stanko reached out to a friend who was an experienced runner to ask for their advice, believing that setting an athletic goal, such as completing a marathon, would give her something to focus on.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 12 Apr. 2026
It's been an eventful first month on the job for Pat Lyons, the new athletic director at the University of Rhode Island, who takes the reins in Kingston during a volatile time in college sports, with the billions of dollars available in media rights turning the NCAA into a conduit for big business.
—Kathleen Hill, The Providence Journal, 11 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, Paws to Relax remains a popular feature during finals week and the dogs also visit dining halls and dorms and meet with the athletic teams.
—Mikayla Bunnell, Hartford Courant, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for athletic
Cite this Entry
“Athletic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/athletic. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
athletic
adjective
ath·let·ic
ath-ˈlet-ik
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of athletes or athletics
2
3
athleticism
noun
ath-ˈlet-ə-ˌsi-zəm
Medical Definition
athletic
adjective
ath·let·ic
ath-ˈlet-ik
: characterized by heavy frame, large chest, and powerful muscular development : mesomorphic
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
