hold the world/Olympic record
idiom
: to have performed better in a sport than anyone else in the world/Olympics
He holds the world/Olympic record for the shot put.
Examples of hold the world/Olympic record in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The American men haven’t run faster than 37.40 in the 4x100 since 1992, while the U.S. women hold the world record of 40.82, though that time was last broken in 2012.
—
Cory Mull, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Under his direct command, the regime has executed hundreds of prisoners in just the past year, including women, and continues to hold the world record for executions and torture.
—Ruth Marks Eglash, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2025
Pan is the first Chinese male to hold the world record in the event.
—Andrew McNicol, CNN, 11 Feb. 2024
Peru, with its shaky political system, might hold the world record on this front.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2023
The ex-Australian opening batter should know, having scored 380 in one innings in 2003 to hold the world record for an individual innings.
—John Pye, ajc, 25 Dec. 2021
However, cosmonaut Valery Polyakov, who spent 438 consecutive days in space aboard the MIR space station, will still hold the world record.
—Carl Engelking, Discover Magazine, 26 Mar. 2015
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Cory Mull, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Under his direct command, the regime has executed hundreds of prisoners in just the past year, including women, and continues to hold the world record for executions and torture.
—Ruth Marks Eglash, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2025
Pan is the first Chinese male to hold the world record in the event.
—Andrew McNicol, CNN, 11 Feb. 2024
Peru, with its shaky political system, might hold the world record on this front.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2023
The ex-Australian opening batter should know, having scored 380 in one innings in 2003 to hold the world record for an individual innings.
—John Pye, ajc, 25 Dec. 2021
However, cosmonaut Valery Polyakov, who spent 438 consecutive days in space aboard the MIR space station, will still hold the world record.
—Carl Engelking, Discover Magazine, 26 Mar. 2015
Cite this Entry
“Hold the world/Olympic record.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hold%20the%20world%2FOlympic%20record. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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