triple

1 of 3

verb

tri·​ple ˈtri-pəl 

tripled; tripling ˈtri-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

triple

2 of 3

noun

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 sense 2

triple

3 of 3

adjective

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)

Synonyms

Noun

• trio
• triad
• trinity

Adjective

• treble
• threefold

Examples of triple in a Sentence

Verb

He tripled his winnings at the track.

The town's population has tripled in size.

He tripled to right field.

Noun

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

Adjective

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

He ordered a triple espresso.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Graduate degrees, in particular, have more than tripled in price since 2000, far outpacing the cost of housing, food, or healthcare. —Leadership Brainery, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025

Yet even as many conference delegates voiced confidence that the COP28 pledge to triple nuclear power capacity by 2050 would be reached, others were quick to point out the obstacles that remained. —Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2025

Noun

The triple is housed inside a steel chassis. —New Atlas, 12 Sep. 2025

The Estadi Johan Cruyff has also recently seen Barca’s under-19 male side make history, winning a triple of league, UEFA Youth League and the Spanish youth cup last season. —Laia Cervelló Herrero, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025

Adjective

Thus, the core trio of actors pulls double duty (in Lopez's case, triple) as the stars of a classical musical confection and a harrowing prison drama. —Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2025

The round, which was led by Prysm Capital, values the company at $3 billion, nearly triple since its last raise in 2023. —Charlie Fink, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

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

Noun

Middle English, from Latin triplus, adjective

Adjective

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

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing triple

• triple-A
• triple-A battery
• triple bogey
• triple bond
• triple counterpoint
• triple-decker
• triple-double
• triple E
• triple-header
• triple jump
• triple play
• triple point
• triple sec
• triple-space
• triple-team
• triple threat
• triple-tongue

Rhymes for triple

• cripple
• nipple
• ripple
• stipple
• tipple
• participle
• schizotypal

Kids Definition

triple

1 of 3 verb

tri·​ple ˈtrip-əl 

tripled; tripling ˈtrip-(ə-)liŋ 

1

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

their profits tripled last year

2

: to make a triple in baseball

triple

2 of 3 noun

1

a

: a triple sum, quantity, or number

b

: a combination, group, or series of three

2

: a hit in baseball that permits a batter to reach third base safely

triple

3 of 3 adjective

1

: being three times as great or as many

2

: having three units or parts

3

a

: three times repeated

b

: having three full revolutions

a triple somersault