sport

1 of 3

verb

ˈspȯrt

sported; sporting; sports

Synonyms of sport next

intransitive verb

: to amuse oneself : frolic

lambs sporting in the meadow

: to engage in a sport

: to mock or ridicule something

: to speak or act in jest : trifle

[sport entry 2] : to deviate or vary abruptly from type (as by bud variation) : mutate

transitive verb

: to display or wear usually ostentatiously : boast

sporting expensive new shoes

[sport entry 2] : to put forth as a sport or bud variation

sport

2 of 3

noun

: a source of diversion : recreation

: sexual play

c(1)

: physical activity engaged in for pleasure

(2)

: a particular activity (such as an athletic game) so engaged in

: pleasantry, jest

: often mean-spirited jesting : mockery, derision

: something tossed or driven about in or as if in play

: laughingstock

: sportsman

: a person considered with respect to living up to the ideals of sportsmanship

a good sport

a poor sport

: a companionable person

: an individual exhibiting a sudden deviation from type beyond the normal limits of individual variation usually as a result of mutation especially of somatic tissue

sport

3 of 3

adjective

variants or sports

: of, relating to, or suitable for sports

especially : styled in a manner suitable for casual or informal wear

sport coats

Choose the Right Synonym for sport

fun, jest, sport, game, play mean action or speech that provides amusement or arouses laughter.

fun usually implies laughter or gaiety but may imply merely a lack of serious or ulterior purpose.

played cards just for fun

jest implies lack of earnestness and may suggest a hoaxing or teasing.

hurt by remarks said only in jest

sport applies especially to the arousing of laughter against someone.

teasing begun in sport led to anger

game is close to sport, and often stresses mischievous or malicious fun.

made game of their poor relations

play stresses the opposition to earnest without implying any malice or mischief.

pretended to strangle his brother in play

Example Sentences

Verb She showed up at the party sporting a bright red hat. from sailing to snorkeling, each day we sported at a different activity offered by the beach resort Noun She likes to play sport. Ice-skating with friends is my favorite sport.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

There's also a label with the year the original piece is from sewn onto everything, which feels like the badge of honor Gen Z would rather sport than a nameplate of the year they were born. —

Tara Gonzalez, Harper's BAZAAR, 26 Feb. 2023 All models get a crisp 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, and hybrids sport a 12.3-inch center touchscreen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (the standard 7.0-inch unit requires a cord). —

Mike Sutton, Car and Driver, 24 Feb. 2023 In Indonesia, serabi kuah pancakes sport a bright green color thanks to their inclusion of coconut milk and pandan flavoring. —

Grace Linden, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Feb. 2023 The Wildcats sport a 10-5 (1-2 SEC) record after a blowout loss at Alabama over the weekend. —

Ryan Black, The Courier-Journal, 10 Jan. 2023 Kylie Jenner and her daughter, Stormi, also sport a matching ring set. —

Allison Duncan, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2022 The rooms now sport a warm but chic look, with gorgeous live-wood headboards on each bed. —

Brent Rose, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Nov. 2022 Male narwhals typically sport the tusk, while only 15 percent of females have one. —

Donna Sarkar, Discover Magazine, 27 Oct. 2022 The institutions of this city can field very good teams, whose members sport a variety of interesting, pleasing accents. —

Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 7 Feb. 2023

Noun

Back then, advertising and newspaper coverage glorified the young men who took on the risks of the sport. —

Ingfei Chen, The New Yorker, 11 Feb. 2023 But with exertional heat death counts going up among athletes training and performing in a warming world, exercise physiologists do worry about how climate change will affect the future of the sport. —

The Arizona Republic, 9 Feb. 2023 There’s very little that dogs can’t do in the world of sport. —

Katcy Stephan, Variety, 9 Feb. 2023 The result is a global system that is profoundly unequal—and perilous for the health of the sport. —

Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 4 Feb. 2023 Having the officiating be an issue, and over officiating, is just wrong for the fans of the sport. —

Jenna Reyes, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Jan. 2023 Wahlberg had previously discussed Grace's love for horses, as well as a particular perk of the sport, during a 2018 interview with PEOPLE. —

Lynsey Eidell, Peoplemag, 30 Jan. 2023 Fayombo didn’t play football until his senior year, as his parents kept him out of the sport due to fear of injury. —

Dallas News, 29 Jan. 2023 This program has made winning at the highest level of this sport, something almost unfathomable here a decade ago, business as usual. —

Zach Osterman, The Indianapolis Star, 28 Jan. 2023

Adjective

The newest set of football immortals included former Auburn High School multi-sport athlete and Troy football standout DeMarcus Ware. —

Mark Inabinett | Minabinett@al.com, al, 9 Feb. 2023 Woods seemingly was a multi-sport athlete at Northwestern, based on his Hudl page highlighting his time as a football player for the Colts. —

Kirkland Crawford, Detroit Free Press, 1 Feb. 2023 The multi-sport athlete dropped 29 in a three-point win over Clinton Central and came close to triple-doubles against Covenant Christian, Delphi and Frankfort. ... —

Brian Haenchen, The Indianapolis Star, 30 Jan. 2023 Wednesday at the start of NCAA’s final signing period of the school year, the multi-talented, multi-sport Francis Parker senior signed to play football for Army. —

San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2023 Gamers of all ages will love the TopGolf Swing Suite featuring a large screen, several multi-sport games and comfortable lounge seating. —

Gabi De La Rosa, Chron, 27 Jan. 2023 The park is located at Greenway Road and Parkview Place and will have eight multi-sport fields. —

Corina Vanek, The Arizona Republic, 25 Dec. 2022 This powerful multi-sport smartwatch can handle just about any tracking task. —

Mark Stock And Ebenezer Samuel, Men's Health, 2 Dec. 2022 Garmin's rugged Fenix 6 Pro is one of the best multi-sport smartwatches out there. —

Rachel Klein, Popular Mechanics, 28 Nov. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sport.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, to divert, disport, short for disporten

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

circa 1586, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of sport was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Sport.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sport. Accessed 8 Mar. 2023.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

sport

1 of 3 verb

ˈspō(ə)rt

ˈspȯ(ə)rt

: to amuse oneself : frolic

: to speak or act in fun

: show off sense 1

sport

2 of 3 noun

: pastime, recreation

: physical activity (as hunting, running, or an athletic game) engaged in for pleasure

: jest sense 2

: fun entry 1 sense 3

make sport of someone

: a person who shows good sportsmanship

: an individual that shows a sudden major change from the normal type usually as a result of a mutation

a yellow sport among the red apples

sport

3 of 3 adjective

variants or sports

: of, relating to, or suitable for sports

sports equipment

also : made in a style suitable for casual or informal wear

a sport coat

Medical Definition

sport

noun

ˈspō(ə)rt, ˈspȯ(ə)rt

: an individual exhibiting a sudden deviation from type beyond the normal limits of individual variation usually as a result of mutation especially of somatic tissue