gymnastic

1 of 2

adjective

gym·​nas·​tic jim-ˈna-stik How to pronounce gymnastic (audio)
: of or relating to gymnastics : athletic
gymnastically adverb

gymnastic

2 of 2

noun

1
gymnastics jim-ˈna-stiks How to pronounce gymnastic (audio) 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
… did not lend itself to the gymnastics of break dancing.Tony Karon

Examples of gymnastic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
As the Ekeroths love live music, there will be live music every weekend and the kids zone features feet-on-the-ground inflatables such as a basketball toss, football and gymnastic pads with foam blocks, and giant games of Jenga, Tetris and Connect Four. Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026 In posts shared on X and YouTube, the Institute explained that the gymnastic maneuvers shown in recent videos and the natural walking gait demonstrated at CES 2026 are produced by the same learning framework, rather than separate systems, reports Humanoids Daily. Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
Besides soccer and auto racing, Qatar has a World Endurance Championship sportscar race this month, a MotoGP motorcycle race, a gymnastics World Cup next month and hosts the first Diamond League track meet of the year in May. ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026 The team is only a week removed from a successful trip at the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Germany, where the country's star Artem Dolgopyat won the gold medal in floor gymnastics. Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 1 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gymnastic

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1574, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1652, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of gymnastic was in 1574

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Cite this Entry

“Gymnastic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gymnastic. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.

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