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
There, organizers who have protested women’s athletic events involving transgender participants across California delivered speeches demanding that the CIF prohibit Hernandez and other transgender athletes from competing.
—
Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
In doing so, the brand is hoping to carve out its own piece of the $100 billion-plus European cosmetics market by delivering products geared toward improving athletic performance as opposed to makeup and other beauty items.
—Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 1 June 2026
His good friend, Bobby Godinez, was the athletic director and head football coach at East Los Angeles College, a junior college in Monterey Park.
—Mike Defabo, New York Times, 1 June 2026
An athletic, contemporary ballet by Alexandra Schooling (Oklahoma City Ballet, PDX Contemporary Ballet) is accompanied by an original score by Chris Desien.
—Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for athletic
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Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
In doing so, the brand is hoping to carve out its own piece of the $100 billion-plus European cosmetics market by delivering products geared toward improving athletic performance as opposed to makeup and other beauty items.
—Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 1 June 2026
His good friend, Bobby Godinez, was the athletic director and head football coach at East Los Angeles College, a junior college in Monterey Park.
—Mike Defabo, New York Times, 1 June 2026
An athletic, contemporary ballet by Alexandra Schooling (Oklahoma City Ballet, PDX Contemporary Ballet) is accompanied by an original score by Chris Desien.
—Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 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 2 Jun. 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
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