hat trick
noun
People
Did you know?
It may surprise some people to learn that the term "hat trick" as it relates to sports actually originated in British cricket. A bowler who retired three batsmen with three consecutive balls was entitled to a new hat at the expense of the club to commemorate this feat. Eventually, the phrase was applied to a single player scoring three goals in any goal sport and later to three victories or successes in sports as different as horse racing and golf. The phrase finally broadened to include a string of three important successes or achievements in any field.
Examples of hat trick in a Sentence
Avi Creditor, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
Stafford broke the London record with five passing touchdowns, while Adams joined the pantheon of Wembley Stadium hat tricks with three receiving TDs as the Rams beat the Jaguars 35-7.
—Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 19 Oct. 2025
Denis Bouanga of Los Angeles FC trailed Messi by five goals in the Golden Boot race after Messi’s hat trick and failed to score against Colorado in the late game.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2025
The North Carolina Courage spoiled Bay FC’s last home game of the season Friday night as Manaka Matsukubo’s hat trick led to a resounding 4-1 win, matching the most lopsided home loss in Bay’s two-year history.
—Jon Becker, Mercury News, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hat trick
Cite this Entry
“Hat trick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hat%20trick. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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