sprint

1 of 2

verb

ˈsprint 

sprinted; sprinting; sprints

intransitive verb

: to run or go at top speed especially for a short distance

sprinter noun

sprint

2 of 2

noun

1

: the act or an instance of sprinting

2

a

: dash sense 3b

b

: a burst of speed

Synonyms of sprint

Verb

• jog
• trot
• run
• race
• gallop
• speed

Examples of sprint in a Sentence

Verb

The bicycle racers sprinted for the finish line.

he sprinted off to class so as to avoid being late

Noun

He made a sprint for the finish line.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The rebound bounced Mahtomedi’s way with seconds remaining, and the Zephyrs sprinted ahead with numbers. —Andrew Cornelius, Twin Cities, 4 Mar. 2026

The production was unconventional and riddled with obstacles, but much like Doyle breathlessly sprinting up a flight of stairs, the filmmakers pushed forward. —Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026

Noun

This whole journey in this space has been a marathon, not a sprint. —Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 27 Feb. 2026

Every pair rings in under $100, and they’re built for long sightseeing days, airport sprints, and everything in between. —Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 26 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English (Scots) sprenten to spring, leap, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish dialect sprinta to jump, hop; akin to Old High German sprinzan to jump up

First Known Use

Verb

1847, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1836, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sprint

• sprint car
• wind sprint

Rhymes for sprint

• clint
• dint
• glint
• hint
• lint
• mint
• print
• quint
• quinte
• splint
• squint
• stint

Kids Definition

sprint

1 of 2 verb

ˈsprint 

: to run at top speed especially for a short distance

sprinter noun

sprint

2 of 2 noun

1

: a short run at top speed

2

: a race over a short distance