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

As a teen-ager, Grossman’s owlish demeanor earned him the schoolyard nickname Old Man. — Madeleine Wulfahrt, New Yorker, 8 July 2026

Business Insider reported May 9 that the comeback had taken hold in high schools and colleges in the Northeast, fueled by TikTok and Instagram accounts that treated schoolyard circles like varsity programs. — Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026

Spare as a schoolyard chant, stalwart producer Kenny Laguna created a perfect back-and-forth between crisp handclaps and dirty chords. — Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026

In Miami, soccer is already a significant part of our days, living in parks, living rooms, schoolyards, restaurants, and weekend watch parties. — Jp Shaffer, Miami Herald, 23 June 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