sport 1 of 2

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as in game
an attitude or manner not to be taken seriously teasing that began in sport ended with some hateful words being exchanged

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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as in ridicule
the making of unkind jokes as a way of showing one's scorn for someone or something taught their children that it was not polite to make sport of others

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
as in joke
a person or thing that is made fun of had become the long-suffering sport of the village

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sport

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verb

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun sport differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of sport are fun, game, jest, and play. While all these words mean "action or speech that provides amusement or arouses laughter," sport applies especially to the arousing of laughter against someone.

teasing begun in sport led to anger

When is fun a more appropriate choice than sport?

The synonyms fun and sport are sometimes interchangeable, but fun usually implies laughter or gaiety but may imply merely a lack of serious or ulterior purpose.

played cards just for fun

How are the words game and sport related?

Game is close to sport, and often stresses mischievous or malicious fun.

made game of their poor relations

Where would jest be a reasonable alternative to sport?

The meanings of jest and sport largely overlap; however, jest implies lack of earnestness and may suggest a hoaxing or teasing.

hurt by remarks said only in jest

When can play be used instead of sport?

In some situations, the words play and sport are roughly equivalent. However, play stresses the opposition to earnest without implying any malice or mischief.

pretended to strangle his brother in play

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 sport
Noun
Areas like Madrid and Las Vegas have gone out of their way to court the sport, building street tracks in the center of the city. Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025 Never say never in the sports world, but a Hill reunion with the Chiefs seems unlikely. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
The cheaper model will sport an AMD Z2, while the top-end version will have a more powerful Z2 Extreme and 32GB of RAM. James Peckham, PC Magazine, 5 Sep. 2025 In the images, Mendes sported a silky red dress complete with ‘80s power shoulders from the runway. Violet Goldstone, Footwear News, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sport
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sport
Noun
  • To secure this ideal, the country would need to establish necessities such as education, employment, decent shelter, medical care, and recreation as human rights — rights to be as inalienable as the freedoms of speech and religion are today.
    Big Think, Big Think, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Finalized in 2024, the Public Lands Rule placed conservation on equal footing as livestock grazing, energy development and outdoor recreation under the BLM’s multiple-use mandate.
    John Leos, AZCentral.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Lindblade is excited about Lionel Messi and Inter Miami games that have added to the city’s appeal and the back-to-back Stanley Cup championships of the Florida Panthers, whose practice complex is just north of downtown.
    Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Guardians starter Slade Cecconi — who conversely had the best game of his career — didn’t allow a hit through seven innings.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The internet faced ridicule for its impractical nature during its initial development phase.
    Sadhasivam Mohanadas, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • When asked about funny memories with the cast — which included the likes of Viggo Mortensen, Elijah Wood, Liv Tyler, and Ian McKellen — Bloom said that his glamorous elf warrior, Legolas, was subject to great ridicule among his costars.
    Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Though the movie is accessible to new fans, there are plenty of winks and nods for diehards who can understand what might seem, to the uninitiated, like cheesy moments—a cringeworthy English rap verse, a scene parodying the product placement in K-dramas—as self-aware jokes.
    Yvonne Kim, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
  • That means having to cut jokes that don't fit his do-no-harm MO.
    Erin Jensen, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Fashion and sociology experts say that, when examining the significance of any bold fashion statement such as Robbie's, context plays an important role.
    Charles Trepany, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
  • The Yankees played an integral part in the remembrance of 9/11.
    Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • At a time when most goalies were under 6 feet, Dryden was a towering 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, but still had nimble feet to dance around the net and kick pucks into the corners.
    Jesse Granger, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Once a month, guests come together to dance under the night sky at its legendary full moon parties.
    Teaghan Skulszki, Travel + Leisure, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The service will display the activities of not just stock traders, but also of those trading crypto, options and other assets.
    Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2025
  • This happened in Rhode Island, where a Tesla owner was allowed to display a vanity plate reading FKGAS.
    Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In this state, the nervous system’s fight-or-flight response takes priority, inhibiting relaxation, pleasure and trust, which make for the key ingredients of romantic connection.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • For the average person, being massaged in a public space, as part of a competition, might be a relaxation-proof challenge.
    Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sport.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sport. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

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