as in muscular
having great physical strength, skill, or ability
She had always been athletic, playing multiple sports even as a child.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of athletic
Tuesday, about 100 yards from the high school’s athletic fields, authorities said.
—
Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2026
Well into the 20th century, Jews were restricted from joining prestigious athletic clubs, fraternal societies, high military ranks and country clubs, though some responded by forming their own venues, like the City Athletic Club of New York.
—Miriam Eve Mora, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026
And Lucy says her athletic success is already inspiring others.
—Francie Ebert, NBC news, 2 Apr. 2026
The breed, which is native to the Netherlands, is considered a lively, athletic, alert and intelligent breed.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for athletic
Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2026
Well into the 20th century, Jews were restricted from joining prestigious athletic clubs, fraternal societies, high military ranks and country clubs, though some responded by forming their own venues, like the City Athletic Club of New York.
—Miriam Eve Mora, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026
And Lucy says her athletic success is already inspiring others.
—Francie Ebert, NBC news, 2 Apr. 2026
The breed, which is native to the Netherlands, is considered a lively, athletic, alert and intelligent breed.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for athletic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for athletic
Adjective
-
When muscular coordination, breathing mechanics and mobility improve together, the compensations driving your symptoms can begin to resolve.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Alex Aster Announces New Barbie YA Novel As for Harlan Raker, the tall and muscular knight whom Aris hates, Aster doesn't need to see a new face.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But his family says Ty was perfectly healthy before suddenly dying.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Kailer Yamamoto and Liam O’Brien, who was in the lineup after 18 games as a healthy scratch, also scored for the Mammoth, who won their fourth straight road game.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Royal Bahamian police said Brian Hooker told investigators that his wife fell over from an 8-foot hard-bottom dinghy — along with the keys to the boat — and she was carried away by strong rip currents.—
Cristian Benavides,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The National Weather Service says strong winds could generate breaking waves of 8 feet causing dune erosion and road overwash.—
Mark Price
April 8,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
While tech companies have attempted to solve online fit issues since the 2010s, the rapid development of generative AI has finally made these applications good enough to meaningfully impact retailers' bottom lines.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Shoppers who grew up on disposable fast fashion are enlisting tailors and seamstresses to give off-the-rack purchases a custom fit or personal flair, to revive secondhand finds or to extend the lives of their wardrobes, according to fashion industry experts.—
Anne D’Innocenzio,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Amid a drumbeat of disclosures that begin to exact consequences for some powerful people — particularly Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Britain's former Prince Andrew — Congress passed legislation to force the Justice Department to disclose its investigative files on Epstein.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The two women’s powerful, mysterious bond is sketched in sharp yet subtle dramatic strokes that are all the more thrilling for their breathless rapidity.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Most corners his size are expected to not be as agile or nimble as the smaller, more prototypical corners.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Cats possess other features of their wild relatives in being basically carnivorous, remarkably agile and powerful, and finely coordinated in movement.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
There was experimental literature in which the role of the author could be tweaked; in popular fiction, authorship could be a flexible concept.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
According to experts, someone can be easygoing without being passive, or flexible while also staying engaged.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Athletic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/athletic. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
