sports drink

noun

: a drink that consists mainly of water, electrolytes (such as sodium or potassium), and carbohydrates (such as sucrose or fructose) and that is designed to replenish those substances in the body during or after usually strenuous exercise

"Dan was with me the whole day," Huard said after the game, while sipping a sports drink to combat dehydration.

—Peter King

Sports drinks such as Gatorade or Powerade should generally be avoided in favor of water unless you're doing an intense workout. That's because some sports drinks contain more than 30 grams of added sugar …, and you may not need its carb- and electrolyte-heavy fuel if you're just going for a 45-minute easy ride.

—Danielle Zickl

Examples of sports drink in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Many sports drinks contain high amounts of sugar, which not only adds extra calories but also increases chronic kidney disease risk. — Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 25 Aug. 2026

Those in the area who wish to donate supplies such as water and sports drinks are asked to drop them off at Clear Fork Bank in Mineral Wells. — Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026

No need to choose from the limited selection of bottled sports drinks in the airport. — Carin Ryan, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2026

During long tournament days, a small snack between matches or sips of a sports drink can help maintain energy. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 6 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sports drink

• bethink
• downlink
• groupthink
• hoodwink
• rethink
• uplink
• blink
• brink
• chink
• cinque
• clink
• dink