variants or e-sport
plural esports or e-sports
: a multiplayer video game used as the basis for an organized competition
Rapa has played over 10,000 hours of "League of Legends" since the game's release. He thinks the complexity of the game is what turns kids away from trying it out as an esport.James Lotts
Though women make up nearly half of all US gamers, the number decreases to a third for games that are considered an esportMelissah Yang
What has made Overwatch League unique compared to other leagues in the multibillion-dollar world of esports is attaching teams to cities and trying to build a hometown fan base like traditional sports.Arash Markazi
For almost a decade, pro-circuit video gaming has been inching toward acceptance as an e-sport.Alan Feuer
often used before another noun
esport gaming
esport players
also : the activity of engaging in esports
Four teams are in the semi-finals this weekend. That's how a semi-final works, even in esport. Megan Stewart

Examples of esport in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web How is the esports industry making its money right now? Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 26 Sep. 2024 The League of Legends World Championship Finals are one of the biggest esports events of the year, drawing millions of viewers globally. Cecilia Ciocchetti, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2024 Since then, the game has spawned a digital game, esports league, comic book series, and a best-selling novel. Joe Otterson, Variety, 20 Sep. 2024 Over the past decade, there has been tremendous growth at the intersection of sport and gaming, with professional sports leagues such as the NBA investing in their own version of professional gaming through their esports leagues. Lindsey Darvin, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024 The venture has cobbled together smaller esports entities over the years and is now listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market. Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 11 Sep. 2024 More importantly, it’s become the world’s most popular racing esports title, and the cornerstone of multiple esports series. Tim Stevens, Robb Report, 30 July 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'esport.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1999, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of esport was in 1999

Dictionary Entries Near esport

Cite this Entry

“Esport.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/esport. Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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