steeplechase

noun

stee·​ple·​chase ˈstē-pəl-ˌchās 

1

a

: a horse race across country

b

: a horse race over a closed course with obstacles (such as hedges and walls)

2

: a footrace of usually 3000 meters over hurdles and a water jump

steeplechaser

ˈstē-pəl-ˌchā-sər 

noun

steeplechasing

ˈstē-pəl-ˌchā-siŋ 

noun

Examples of steeplechase in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

On the national and international stage, a former Alaska prep star joined an elite group of athletes to reach a rare milestone, a rugby star is up for a prestigious award and a steeplechase runner from Southeast competed in China. —Josh Reed, Anchorage Daily News, 5 Sep. 2023

Oregon State’s Kaylee Mitchell won her heat of the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Thursday night, moving into Saturday’s final along with Beavers teammate Grace Fetherstonhaugh. —oregonlive, 9 June 2023

Meanwhile, Oregon State’s Kaylee Mitchell and Grace Fetherstonhaugh will look to advance to the final in the women’s steeplechase. —oregonlive, 8 June 2023

Writ large on a giant screen, the results were shown on a chart marked by red and green highlights, as though the researchers were reporting on a steeplechase with three types of hurdles. —Elizabeth Finkel, Quanta Magazine, 24 Aug. 2023

Gear, a four-time All-American for the Razorbacks in 2020-21 after transferring from Furman, won the steeplechase in a personal-best time of 9:12.81 with Emma Coburn second in 9:13.60. —Bob Holt, Arkansas Online, 9 July 2023

For the first time in its 157-year history, the Grand National steeplechase is declared void because of a false start. —Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2023

Fetherstonhaugh crossed sixth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase final in 9 minutes, 49.48 seconds to pick up three team points for Oregon State, and fellow Beavers senior Mitchell was just behind in seventh at 9:49.66 to score two points for OSU. —oregonlive, 11 June 2023

Case in point: Kenyan steeplechase legend Ezekiel Kemboi retroactively losing his bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics for a single misstep in the middle of a 3,000-meter race. —Martin Fritz Huber, Outside Online, 23 July 2022

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Word History

Etymology

from the use of church steeples as landmarks to guide the riders

First Known Use

1793, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

steeplechase

noun

stee·​ple·​chase ˈstē-pəl-ˌchās 

1

a

: a race over the countryside on horses

b

: a horse race on a special course with obstacles (as hedges and walls)

2

: a footrace of usually 3,000 meters over hurdles and a water jump

steeplechaser

-ˌchā-sər 

noun

Etymology

so called from the fact that originally the races were across the countryside in a direct line toward a distant church steeple sighted rising above the other buildings