matador
noun
mat·a·dor
ˈma-tə-ˌdȯr 
: a bullfighter who has the principal role and who kills the bull in a bullfight
Examples of matador in a Sentence
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The matador couldn’t get out of the way of one of the bulls in time and stayed down holding his butt before being carried out of the bullring in pain.
—
Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
And Mexico City overhauled the tradition last year, after its local congress passed a measure to make bullfights less harmful to both bulls and matadors by banning the use of spades and swords to attack the animals.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2026
Backed by a mariachi ensemble — featuring trumpets, violins, guitarrón, and vihuela — the singer, dressed in a classic matador suit in the song’s music video, strums a nylon guitar in a scene straight out of a dream.
—Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 28 Feb. 2026
This season, Chock is a matador and Bates a bull in another creative program that requires Chock to navigate a long, flowing skirt that symbolizes a matador’s cape.
—Alice Park, Time, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for matador
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Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
And Mexico City overhauled the tradition last year, after its local congress passed a measure to make bullfights less harmful to both bulls and matadors by banning the use of spades and swords to attack the animals.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2026
Backed by a mariachi ensemble — featuring trumpets, violins, guitarrón, and vihuela — the singer, dressed in a classic matador suit in the song’s music video, strums a nylon guitar in a scene straight out of a dream.
—Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 28 Feb. 2026
This season, Chock is a matador and Bates a bull in another creative program that requires Chock to navigate a long, flowing skirt that symbolizes a matador’s cape.
—Alice Park, Time, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for matador
Cite this Entry
“Matador.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/matador. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
matador
noun
mat·a·dor
ˈmat-ə-ˌdȯ(ə)r
: the bullfighter who plays the major human part in a bullfight
Etymology
Spanish, literally "killer"
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