1
: any of various units of distance from about 2.4 to 4.6 statute miles (3.9 to 7.4 kilometers)
2
: a square league
1
a
: an association of nations or other political entities for a common purpose
the League of Nations
the League of Voters
b(1)
: an association of persons or groups united by common interests or goals
He organized a bowling league.
(2)
: a group of sports teams that regularly play one another
the National Football League
c
: an informal alliance
in league with her sister
leagued; leaguing
: to unite in a league
: to form a league
Synonyms
Examples of league in a Sentence
Verb
the whole block leagued together to keep a liquor store from opening in their neighborhood
some unlikely political bedfellows leagued together to get the bill passed
Recent Examples on the Web
Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 5 May 2024
Tre Mann Contract status: Final season of a four-year, $14 million deal
When he was acquired from Oklahoma City, a league executive told The Observer that Mann could wind up being a solid addition and had a chance to be really good if he could be developed.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 3 May 2024
The world’s most popular sports league has, for some time, been a global soccer competition that just happens to be staged in England.
—Rory Smith, New York Times, 3 May 2024
Menlo-Atherton 4, The King’s Academy 3 Menlo-Atherton knocked TKA out of first place while keeping its own league title hopes alive with a dramatic victory in a Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division game.
—Darren Sabedra, The Mercury News, 2 May 2024
The win puts Sage Creek (16-8, 6-1) in the driver’s seat toward the league title with three games remaining.
—Jim Lindgren, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2024
During the league’s 100th anniversary, The Times’ Jack Harris wrote about its history amid racial inequality.
—Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
But the Kings gave up only 39 power-play goals, third fewest in the league; its 84.6% kill percentage ranking second in the NHL.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2024
The Glacier Range Riders in Kalispell, Montana — members of a Major League Baseball partner league — applied for several trademarks and logomarks for the team that began playing in 2022.
—Amy Beth Hanson, Quartz, 23 Apr. 2024
Helen Stoilas, CNN, 1 Apr. 2024
He was promoted to offensive coordinator two years later, helping the franchise to a 14-2 record while coaching quarterback Lamar Jackson to league MVP honors.
—Elliott Teaford, Orange County Register, 8 Feb. 2024
Noun
Leo made league history with five assists and a goal.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 5 May 2024
Tre Mann Contract status: Final season of a four-year, $14 million deal
When he was acquired from Oklahoma City, a league executive told The Observer that Mann could wind up being a solid addition and had a chance to be really good if he could be developed.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 3 May 2024
The world’s most popular sports league has, for some time, been a global soccer competition that just happens to be staged in England.
—Rory Smith, New York Times, 3 May 2024
Menlo-Atherton 4, The King’s Academy 3 Menlo-Atherton knocked TKA out of first place while keeping its own league title hopes alive with a dramatic victory in a Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division game.
—Darren Sabedra, The Mercury News, 2 May 2024
The win puts Sage Creek (16-8, 6-1) in the driver’s seat toward the league title with three games remaining.
—Jim Lindgren, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2024
During the league’s 100th anniversary, The Times’ Jack Harris wrote about its history amid racial inequality.
—Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
But the Kings gave up only 39 power-play goals, third fewest in the league; its 84.6% kill percentage ranking second in the NHL.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2024
The Glacier Range Riders in Kalispell, Montana — members of a Major League Baseball partner league — applied for several trademarks and logomarks for the team that began playing in 2022.
—Amy Beth Hanson, Quartz, 23 Apr. 2024
Verb
One factor that has been commonly cited was Sobel’s move to the suburbs of New Jersey — physically a few miles across the Hudson River but socially leagues away from the highly competitive New York scene — with her family in 1947, just as her art was gaining critical attention.
—Helen Stoilas, CNN, 1 Apr. 2024
He was promoted to offensive coordinator two years later, helping the franchise to a 14-2 record while coaching quarterback Lamar Jackson to league MVP honors.
—Elliott Teaford, Orange County Register, 8 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'league.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near league
Cite this Entry
“League.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/league. Accessed 8 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
league
1 of 2 noun
: any of various units of distance from about 2.4 to 4.6 statute miles (3.9 to 7.4 kilometers)
league
2 of 2 noun1
: an association or alliance of nations
2
: an association of persons or groups united for common interests or goals
a softball league
league
verb
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