sport utility vehicle

noun

variants or sport-utility vehicle or less commonly sport utility or sport-utility
plural sport utility vehicles or sport-utility vehicles also sport utilities or sport-utilities
: a rugged automotive vehicle similar to a station wagon but built on a light-truck chassis : suv

called also sport-ute

Examples of sport utility vehicle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The once station wagon-leaning family chariot has morphed into a crossover sport utility vehicle. James Raia, Mercury News, 11 Jan. 2026 Multiple videos taken by witnesses and shared on social media show the driver of a maroon compact sport utility vehicle reversing before accelerating forward and turning to leave when an agent — standing in front of the vehicle — opens fire. Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026 Two Michigan residents are dead as a result of a sport utility vehicle striking a tree in Lenawee County, the Michigan State Police said. Paula Wethington, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026 The compact sport utility vehicle's ($60,000) two-box design underwent a dramatic metamorphosis, with the latest iteration taller, longer, wider and more commanding. Morgan Korn, ABC News, 31 Dec. 2025 Wallace shot back but was wounded before Howard and the sport utility vehicle's driver left the scene, the release says. Rafael Escalera Montoto, Arkansas Online, 16 Dec. 2025 The investigation showed that a sport utility vehicle driven by the 47-year-old woman struck the rear of a slowing semitrailer, according to the release. Cathy Kozlowicz, jsonline.com, 13 Nov. 2025 While most of the affordable vehicles in this category are smaller crossovers, they are still considered sport utility vehicles. Keenan Thompson, Freep.com, 7 Nov. 2025 Prosecutors allege Dominguez ran the stop sign at the rural intersection at a high rate of speed before his pickup crashed into the sport utility vehicle with Vargas and family inside, pushing the SUV off the roadway. Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1969, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sport utility vehicle was in 1969

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Cite this Entry

“Sport utility vehicle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sport%20utility%20vehicle. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

sport-utility vehicle

noun
sport-util·​i·​ty vehicle
ˈspȯrt-yü-ˈtil-ət-ē-
: a rugged automotive vehicle similar to a station wagon but built on a light truck chassis
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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