schoolyard

noun

school·​yard ˈskül-ˌyärd 

plural schoolyards

: the area next to or surrounding a school where students typically play games or sports

He organized a marbles tournament that could take place only in the schoolyard during recess.

—Jerry Spinelli

… there was a schoolboyish quality to the way he did it—as if he were trying to show that he was the biggest, toughest boy in the schoolyard.

—Elizabeth Drew

—often used before another noun

schoolyard games

a schoolyard bully

Examples of schoolyard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

His team shared a video of the moment on Instagram on Wednesday, May 27, in which Allen, 30, is seen approaching children in the schoolyard. —Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026

At that time, Ochoa was working on the campus as a schoolyard duty. —Richard Ramos, CBS News, 28 May 2026

Many incidents began over misbehavior such as dress-code violations, vaping or schoolyard scraps. —Clare Amari, New York Times, 27 May 2026

Peters suspended classes, but the virus had already moved beyond his schoolyard. —Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 17 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for schoolyard

• asgard
• backyard
• barnyard
• blackguard
• bombard
• brickyard
• canard
• churchyard
• coastguard
• courtyard
• debarred
• diehard

Kids Definition

schoolyard

noun

school·​yard

-ˌyärd

: the playground of a school