triple

1 of 5

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 5

noun (1)

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 5

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)

tripple

4 of 5

noun (2)

trip·​ple

ˈtripəl

plural -s

chiefly southern Africa

: a gait in which the horse moves both near and both off legs alternately and which somewhat resembles the amble

tripple

5 of 5

intransitive verb

"

variants or triple

"

-ed/-ing/-s

chiefly southern Africa

: to go at a tripple

Synonyms of triple

Noun (1)

• 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 (1)

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

Domestic abuse claims more than tripled between the 2020 and 2025 fiscal years, from nearly 15,000 applications to upward of 53,000 per year, according to immigration agency data. — ABC News, 29 June 2026

Since the 2016 referendum, the yellow metal has tripled in price. — Frank Holmes, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

Noun

Roberts walked the next hitter, Cooper Pratt, before giving up a run-scoring triple to David Hamilton. — Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026

Before Bericoto’s two-run blast in the sixth, right fielder Jung Hoo Lee continued making his case for his first All-Star appearance with a bases-clearing, two-out triple. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 25 June 2026

Adjective

The game included five triple stumpers and came down to Final Jeopardy! — Usa Today Staff, USA Today, 1 July 2026

Lymphatic drainage has gone from a niche clinical treatment to a category spanning $8 dry brushes and $300 vibration plates, with search interest climbing by triple digits since 2021. — Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

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

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Latin triplus, adjective

Adjective

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

Noun (2)

Afrikaans trippel, from trippel to tripple

Intransitive verb

Afrikaans trippel, from Dutch trippelen, to trip along, amble; akin to Low German trippeln to stamp, trample

First Known Use

Verb

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

Noun (1)

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

Adjective

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing triple

• triple-A
• triple-A battery
• triple bogey
• triple bond
• triple counterpoint
• triple crown
• 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

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