gymnastic

adjective gym·nas·tic \ jim-ˈna-stik \

|Updated on: 19 Jun 2018

Definition of gymnastic

: of or relating to gymnastics : athletic

—

gymnastically

play \jim-ˈna-sti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Recent Examples of gymnastic from the Web

On Saturday, more active dogs will compete in gymnastic Frisbee routines, slalom-like weave pole races, agility courses, hurdle racing and diving, in which dogs take a running leap off a 40-foot dock into a 19,000-gallon pool of water.

— daily pilot staff, latimes.com, "Surf dogs rule the waves in Huntington Beach," 8 June 2018
To explore what sets gymnastic training apart from more traditional strength training, Tim Ferriss called on Christopher Sommer, who spent 20 years coaching the U.S. national gymnastics team.

— tim ferriss, Outside Online, "Why You Should Train Like a Gymnast," 4 June 2018
However, there were perhaps none better at the feat than Nigeria's Julius Aghahowa, who displayed all of his gymnastic exploits at the 2002 World Cup against Sweden.

— SI.com, "7 of the Best Celebrations in World Cup History," 31 May 2018
The dancers—who ranged in age from young children to adults—took the stage to show off their breathtaking display of gymnastic abilities.

— kelly o'sullivan, Country Living, "Watch the Incredible Performance on 'America's Got Talent' That Earned a Golden Buzzer," 30 May 2018
Altitude Trampoline Park This park near Indian School Road and 40th Street in Phoenix has a kids’ court, gymnastic tumble tracks, a rock wall, dodgeball courts, foam pits, dunk lanes and a battle beam.

— wendy killeen, azcentral, "Indoor playgrounds, trampoline parks and places in Phoenix kids can play and stay cool," 24 May 2018
Matthew O’Malley’s dreams for a state gymnastic medal in an individual event ended quickly this season.

— bob narang, chicagotribune.com, "Boys gymnastics notes: Matthew O'Malley wins vault title as Lyons takes 3rd as a team," 14 May 2018
The interview with Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie was excerpted from a larger special about the gymnastic abuse scandal, airing this Sunday evening on Dateline.

— dave quinn, PEOPLE.com, "Martha Karolyi Says Gymnasts' Parents 'Couldn't See' Larry Nassar Abuse: 'How I Could See?'," 20 Apr. 2018
The gymnastic effort in the pro-Trump media this week is to use Zuckerberg's congressional testimony as an occasion to criticize Facebook without inflicting any harm on Trump.

— callum borchers, Washington Post, "A dilemma for pro-Trump media: How to hit Facebook without dinging the president?," 9 Apr. 2018

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

First Known Use of gymnastic

1574

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

gymnastic

noun

Definition of gymnastic

1 gymnastics plural in form but singular in construction

a : physical exercises designed to develop strength and coordination

b : a competitive sport in which individuals perform optional and prescribed acrobatic feats mostly on special apparatus in order to demonstrate strength, balance, and body control

2 : an exercise in intellectual or artistic dexterity

my earlier philosophic study had been an intellectual gymnastic
—John Dewey

mental gymnastics

3 : a physical feat or contortion

the gymnastics necessary for the killer to have swung from the fire escape
—E. D. Radin

Recent Examples of gymnastic from the Web

The announcement comes as some victims are demanding that the state of Texas take action against two legendary gymnastics coaches.

— CBS News, "Michigan State, Nassar sex abuse victims reach $500 million settlement," 16 May 2018
In particular, the women and attorneys said that Martha Karolyi and her husband, Bela, the longtime gymnastics coaches, knew about Nassar's abuse in June 2015 yet failed to protect the girls.

— eric levenson, CNN, "Larry Nassar victims say Texas isn't seriously investigating Karolyi Ranch," 10 May 2018
Et cetera Terps, Towson gymnasts qualify for regionals The Maryland women's gymnastics team qualified for the postseason and will compete in the NCAA regionals in Raleigh, N.C., on April 7.

— baltimoresun.com, "Digest: Five-time Olympic swimming champ Katie Ledecky will turn pro," 26 Mar. 2018
The Environmental Protection Agency administrator has shown a knack for verbal gymnastics, particularly in his handling of myriad ethics scandals.

— emily atkin, The New Republic, "The Senate gave Scott Pruitt third-degree burns.," 16 May 2018
After studying classical dance, gymnastics, and piano, Tiziana enrolled at Federico II University in Naples.

— rossalyn warren, The Atlantic, "Should the Internet Forget Italy's Most Viral Sex Tape?," 16 May 2018
Service gymnastics — The Cougars posted 18 straight undefeated seasons, winning more than 100 meets in a row, in a championship run that ended in 2004.

— beth bragg, Anchorage Daily News, "Pitch-perfect Dimond girls try to keep soccer streak low key," 11 May 2018
Hutson, who is from Orlando, FL, was a competitive dancer and did gymnastics growing up, but her extensive background in martial arts and acting led her more directly to stunt work.

— refinery29.com, "Daredevils: Two Stuntwomen Reveal How They Bring Marvel Characters To Life," 3 May 2018
Andress expects other sports like soccer, gymnastics, swimming, cycling, and running to join the movement.

— doug feinberg, The Christian Science Monitor, "Women's sports leagues unite in SheIS initiative," 1 May 2018