hoop

1 of 2

noun

often attributive
Synonyms of hoopnext
1
: a circular strip used especially for holding together the staves of containers or as a plaything
2
a
: a circular figure or object : ring
b
: the rim of a basketball goal
broadly : the entire goal
3
: a circle or series of circles of flexible material used to expand a woman's skirt
4
: basketball
usually used in plural
hooplike
ˈhüp-ˌlīk How to pronounce hoop (audio)
also ˈhu̇p
adjective

hoop

2 of 2

verb

hooped; hooping; hoops

transitive verb

: to bind or fasten with or as if with a hoop
hooper noun

Examples of hoop in a Sentence

Noun made Christmas garlands from hoops of red and green construction paper
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.
Noun
Yes, at his middle school, Core Prep Academy in Northridge, Arenas’ entire day was consumed by hoops. Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026 With her hair cropped into a sleek, chocolate-brown bob with a side-part, Zendaya's look emanated French-girl chic, a pop of red on the lip providing the only real color and a pair of simple diamond hoops offering a rare glimpse of glitz. Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
Williams watched his players hoop on the new floor, waiting for their turn to move to the next station. D’joumbarey Moreau, Miami Herald, 20 Feb. 2026 The Hartford show features DJ Doctor, who works hula hooping into her presentation. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 8 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hoop

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English hōp; akin to Middle Dutch hoep ring, hoop

First Known Use

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hoop was in the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hoop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoop. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

hoop

noun
ˈhu̇p
ˈhüp
1
: a circular band used for holding together the strips that make up the sides of a barrel
also : a similar band used as a toy
2
a
: a circular figure or object : ring
b
: the rim of a basketball goal
broadly : the entire goal
3
: basketball
usually used in plural
4
: a circle or series of circles of flexible material used to expand a woman's skirt
hoop verb

More from Merriam-Webster on hoop

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster