sportive

adjective

sport·​ive ˈspȯr-tiv 

1

a

: frolicsome, playful

b

: ardent, wanton

2

: of or relating to sports and especially field sports

sportively adverb

sportiveness noun

Synonyms of sportive

• playful

Examples of sportive in a Sentence

a sportive pastor who began every sermon with a joke

Recent Examples on the Web

The woozy, choppily edited party sequence, featuring lots of handheld, cellphone-style footage and glassy slow-motion interludes, clearly illustrates the camaraderie and profound affection between the five main characters, who tease and tickle one another like sportive, overgrown puppies. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026

No President since has cultivated a beard in office; the last with any facial hair—a sportive handlebar mustache—was William Howard Taft, who left the White House in 1913. — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 21 July 2025

While English accents add an element of charm, the Boxing Day coda seems an odd way to wrap things, at least for those who know nothing of such sportive traditions. — Peter Debruge, Variety, 19 Oct. 2024

On Sunday, as Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev competed for the men’s championship (with Djokovic prevailing in the end), another crew was present to take in the sportive scene. — Nick Remsen, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for sportive

• abortive
• supportive

Kids Definition

sportive

adjective

sport·​ive ˈspōrt-iv 

ˈspȯrt-

: frolicsome, playful

sportively adverb

sportiveness noun