kendo

noun

ken·​do ˈken-(ˌ)dō How to pronounce kendo (audio)
: a Japanese sport of fencing usually with bamboo swords

Examples of kendo in a Sentence

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.
Shida hit Statlander with a kendo stick to break up a pin attempt. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 25 May 2026 Statlander hit the Sunday Night Fever on Thekla, but Shida broke it up with a kendo stick on Stat. Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026 Highlights include teachings of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism and performances of taiko, judo, koto, and kendo along with homestyle Japanese foods and marketplace with handmade crafts, plants and produce. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026 Weapons became part of the match as superstars brought in trash cans with lids, kendo sticks, and chains to wield against their opponents. Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Japanese kendō, from ken sword + art

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kendo was in 1921

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kendo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kendo. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on kendo

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