triple

verb tri·ple \ ˈtri-pəl \

Updated on: 24 Apr 2018

Definition of triple

tripled; tripling play \-p(ə-)liŋ\

transitive verb

1 : to make three times as great or as many

2 a : to score (a base runner) by a triple

b : to bring about the scoring of (a run) by a triple

intransitive verb

1 : to become three times as great or as numerous

their profits tripled last year

2 : to make a triple in baseball

See triple defined for English-language learners

See triple defined for kids

Examples of triple in a Sentence

He tripled his winnings at the track.
The town's population has tripled in size.
He tripled to right field.

Recent Examples of triple from the Web

Lodro Rinzler, Buddhist author and co-founder of New York’s MNDFL meditation studio, says his business has tripled in the two years since its first location opened.

— katie becker, Town & Country, "A Weekend of Silence Is the Ultimate Spa Amenity," 24 Oct. 2017
In the spring, Convivial tripled its space and moved into a studio in the West Bottoms.

— stacy downs, kansascity, "Convivial Production is about the hospitality of handmade ceramics," 31 Aug. 2017
Puig and Corey Seager both tripled and drove in two runs for the Dodgers, who finished 11 games ahead of Arizona to earn their fifth consecutive NL West crown.

— creg stephenson, AL.com, "Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks Game 2 live stream, live score updates; MLB playoffs 2017," 7 Oct. 2017
In 1895, for example, a stockmarket boom prompted one big international bank to nearly triple its loans in two years.

— The Economist, "Out of the trapsEmerging markets are up and running," 5 Oct. 2017
Trammell was 2-for-4, Siri tripled and RF Randy Ventura was 3-for-4.

— zach buchanan, Cincinnati.com, "BAR: Reds September call-ups may be September retreads," 31 Aug. 2017
The overall rate of American drug-overdose deaths has more than tripled in this century.

— john tozzi, Bloomberg.com, "American Drug Deaths Rose More Last Year Than in the Previous Four Combined," 3 Nov. 2017
Police are asking parents to triple-check their kids’ trick-or-treat candy after drugs, blades and needles were found in several goody bags.

— monique o. madan, miamiherald, "Meth, needles and razor blades found in Halloween candy bags | Miami Herald," 2 Nov. 2017
The retail workforce tripled between 1940 and 2000.

— derek thompson, The Atlantic, "In the Future, Everybody Will Be Taking Care of Old People," 26 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'triple.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of triple

Middle English (Scots), from Late Latin triplare, from Latin triplus, adjective

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

triple

noun

Definition of triple

1 a : a triple sum, quantity, or number

b : a combination, group, or series of three

2 : a base hit that allows the batter to reach third base safely

3 : trifecta 2

See triple defined for English-language learners

Examples of triple in a Sentence

that triple of terrors for the wintertime driver: snow, ice, and sleet

Recent Examples of triple from the Web

As a four-year starter at McAuley, Lawson hit .449 (114-for-254) with 20 doubles, 12 triples, 13 home runs and 80 RBI.

— shelby dermer, Cincinnati.com, "Catching up: Colerain natives Ashlynn Roberts, Ava Lawson leading NKU to successful season," 19 Apr. 2018
Father Lopez 12, Master's Academy 5 Buzz: Pat Sears went 2-for-4 and Alex Luscombe hit a triple for Master’s (14-6-1).

— staff report, OrlandoSentinel.com, "VARSITY SCORES: April 19," 19 Apr. 2018
Brother Rice graduate Mike Massey is hitting .333 with 20 runs, nine doubles, two triples, three homers and 23 RBIs for Illinois.

— pat disabato, chicagotribune.com, "Baseball notes: Christian Lucio says Mount Carmel 'won't settle for nothing less' than winning state," 12 Apr. 2018
In parts of three seasons with the Indians, Abraham Almonte hit .254 with 37 doubles, nine triples, nine home runs and 56 RBIs.

— maria torres, kansascity, "Royals put Alex Gordon on disabled list, call up Abraham Almonte | The Kansas City Star," 10 Apr. 2018
Leading the Edgewood offense, Brooke Greaver, Bethany Oliver and Buchanan each hit a triple.

— randy mcroberts, The Aegis, "CMW gets no-hit at Bo Manor in softball matchup of state champions," 10 Apr. 2018
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound right fielder has been on a tear through the first six games, hitting .429 with six runs, two doubles, one triple, one homer and six RBIs.

— pat disabato, Daily Southtown, "Baseball notes: Arkansas recruit Jason Hodges puts on hit parade at top of the order for Marist," 5 Apr. 2018
Native Americans have the highest opioid overdose death rate of any group in the United States, with 8.4 deaths per 100,000 people in 2014 – a rate double or triple that of African Americans and Latinos, according to CDC data.

— Washington Post, "The Health 202: Opioid company blames government for Native American crisis," 2 Apr. 2018
Softball Northeast 11, Old Mill 0: Mallorie Hetzel had a double, a triple, a home run, scored two runs and drove in five runs and Jenna Matulonis tossed a five-inning one-hitter as the Eagles opened the season with the win over the Patriots.

— baltimoresun.com, "Varsity roundup (March 24): Severn, Roland Park win at PNC Lacrosse Invitational," 24 Mar. 2018

Origin and Etymology of triple

Middle English, from Latin triplus, adjective

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

triple Synonyms

Synonyms

threesome, triad, trinity, trio, triplet, triumvirate;

Related Words

Other Baseball Terms

alley, cleanup, nightcap, safety, save, shag

triple

adjective

Definition of triple

1 : being three times as great or as many

2 : having or involving three units or members

triple bypass heart surgery

3 : having a threefold relation or character

worked as a double or even triple agent
—Time

4 a : three times repeated : treble

b : having three full revolutions

a triple somersault

a triple lutz

5 : marked by three beats per musical measure

triple meter

6 a : having units of three components

triple feet

b of rhyme : involving correspondence of three syllables (as in unfortunate-importunate)

See triple defined for English-language learners

Examples of triple in a Sentence

She got a new job with triple the salary of her old one.
He ordered a triple espresso.

Recent Examples of triple from the Web

Three-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson has also failed to live up to pre-tournament expectations and opening with a triple-bogey seven after finding the trees on the first did not help his cause.

— CNN, "Masters 2018: Patrick Reed leads from charging Rory McIlroy," 7 Apr. 2018
Mickelson whiffed his second shot — a recovery attempt from the trees — on the first hole of his third round, ultimately taking a triple-bogey.

— jesse smithey, Detroit Free Press, "Masters 2018: Rickie Fowler's putter key to chasing leaders," 7 Apr. 2018
This would alter the mixed strategy: Player B would play Rock more often, hoping for the triple payoff when Player A chooses Scissors.

— megan molteni, WIRED, "Why Winning in Rock-Paper-Scissors Isn’t Everything," 7 Apr. 2018
Sovia Lauriano spent most of the holiday season in the hospital after suffering a heart attack on Christmas Eve and undergoing triple bypass surgery.

— cody mccrary, San Antonio Express-News, "‘Spurs Lady’ remains loyal fan after almost 15 years," 6 Apr. 2018
Rodgers was a triple short of the cycle, driving in two runs.

— courant.com, "Gurriel, Biggio Boost Fisher Cats Past Yard Goats In 11," 6 Apr. 2018
Nearly 3 million Chinese visited the U.S. in the year through September 2017, triple the annual rate at the start of the decade.

— alex frangos, WSJ, "Airlines, Not Boeing, Will Feel China Tariff Threat First," 4 Apr. 2018
The 200 gigawatt plant, once completed in 2030, will more than triple Saudi Arabia’s energy production.

— avery thompson, Popular Mechanics, "Planned Solar Farm Would Be Hundreds of Times Bigger Than World's Current Largest," 4 Apr. 2018
Sandwiched between an ArcLight and the forthcoming Zimmer Children’s Museum, her school’s space is an actual scone’s throw from the original location and nearly triple the size.

— gillian ferguson, Los Angeles Magazine, "What’s Even Better Than Bread and Butter? An L.A. Culinary Instructor Has the Answer," 3 Apr. 2018

Origin and Etymology of triple

Middle English, from Latin triplus, from tri- + -plus multiplied by — more at -fold

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

triple Synonyms

Synonyms

threefold, treble, triadic, tripartite, triplex;

Related Words

triplicate;

Other Number-Related Terms

jubilee, myriad, quarantine, score, twain

TRIPLE Defined for English Language Learners

triple

verb

Definition of triple for English Language Learners

: to cause (something) to become three times as great or as many
: to become three times as great or as many
baseball : to hit a triple : to hit the ball so that you can reach third base

triple

noun

Definition of triple for English Language Learners

baseball : a hit that allows the batter to reach third base

triple

adjective

Definition of triple for English Language Learners

: three times bigger in size or amount
: having three parts or including three people or things

TRIPLE Defined for Kids

triple

verb tri·ple \ ˈtri-pəl \

Definition of triple for Students

tripled; tripling

: to make or become three times as great or as many

I tripled my savings.

triple

noun

Definition of triple for Students

1 : a sum, amount, or number that is three times as great

2 : a combination, group, or series of three

3 : a hit in baseball that lets the batter reach third base

triple

adjective

Definition of triple for Students

1 : having three units or parts

2 : being three times as great or as many

3 : repeated three times

Learn More about triple

See words that rhyme with triple Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for triple Spanish Central: Translation of triple Nglish: Translation of triple for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of triple for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about triple

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triple

Definition of triple

Examples of triple in a Sentence

Recent Examples of triple from the Web

Origin and Etymology of triple

triple

Definition of triple

Examples of triple in a Sentence

Recent Examples of triple from the Web

Origin and Etymology of triple

triple Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Other Baseball Terms

triple

Definition of triple

Examples of triple in a Sentence

Recent Examples of triple from the Web

Origin and Etymology of triple

triple Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Other Number-Related Terms

TRIPLE Defined for English Language Learners

triple

Definition of triple for English Language Learners

triple

Definition of triple for English Language Learners

triple

Definition of triple for English Language Learners

TRIPLE Defined for Kids

triple

Definition of triple for Students

triple

Definition of triple for Students

triple

Definition of triple for Students

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