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
Nathan Dunn, Kansas City Star, 13 Jan. 2026
Boys hockey Breighdyn Simmons’ hat trick fueled Taunton (6-2-2) to a 7-0 nonleague win over Apponequet.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 13 Jan. 2026
Zumwinkle led the way for the Frost on Sunday, scoring two goals and just missing out on completing the hat trick late in the third period.
—Theodore Tollefson, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
The younger Manson had a fight, a goal and an assist, or a Gordie Howe hat trick, before the game was 23 minutes old.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 9 Jan. 2026
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 17 Jan. 2026.
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