: a Japanese art of self-defense employing hand strikes and kicks to disable or subdue an opponent
Examples of karate in a Sentence
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Lots of football, cricket, karate.
—
Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
Then a martial arts center moved in and taught karate lessons for a while in the 1990s.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Dec. 2025
So do the gyrations, the karate poses, etc.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2025
One Battle After Another earned the National Board of Review’s top honor this year, adding a third Best Film award to the shelf (next to all the karate trophies).
—Zoë Haylock, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for karate
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Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
Then a martial arts center moved in and taught karate lessons for a while in the 1990s.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Dec. 2025
So do the gyrations, the karate poses, etc.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2025
One Battle After Another earned the National Board of Review’s top honor this year, adding a third Best Film award to the shelf (next to all the karate trophies).
—Zoë Haylock, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for karate
Cite this Entry
“Karate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/karate. Accessed 28 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
karate
noun
ka·ra·te
kə-ˈrät-ē 
: a Japanese art of self-defense without a weapon
Etymology
from Japanese karate, literally, "empty hand"
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