1
as in ridicules
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in jokes
a person or thing that is made fun of
had become the long-suffering sport of the village
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in plays
to engage in activity for amusement
from sailing to snorkeling, each day we sported at a different activity offered by the beach resort
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dances
to play and run about happily
the millionaire's grandchildren sporting on the estate's spacious grounds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in displays
to present so as to invite notice or attention
sported his flashy new car by driving it all over town
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 sports
Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey is preparing for his team of lawyers to make their argument in front of the top court, a case defending the state's Save Women's Sports Act, which prohibits those who were assigned male at birth from playing on competitive female sports teams.
—Lauren Linder, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Clean soap dishes, grooming tools, kids' toys, and sports equipment in your dishwasher.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 9 Jan. 2026
On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including a notable participant in the Houston Astros‘ pursuit of free agent pitcher Tatsuya Imai.
—Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 8 Jan. 2026
The advisory board will consist of up to two delegates from each club, including investors, cultural leaders and sports legends.
—Jessica Golden, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2025
The vast majority of recent prediction markets growth has come from sports betting, a category that has come online only recently due to legal uncertainty.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
Ripley believes his local ABC affiliates should still have their content, primarily news and sports, carried through to YouTube TV subscribers, regardless of Disney’s position.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025
Those stories have started travelling better to other nations in the CEE region like the Czech Republic and Romania, according to Kłuskiewicz, who cited projects like High Water and sports movie Boxer.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
The ample bathroom sports a double vanity and a free-standing soaking tub, while there are two separate closets for couples or a single fashionista.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 6 Jan. 2026
Jockey Diane Crump sports a mud pack on her cap and face after winning a Kentucky Derby race riding Right Sean, in Louisville, Kentucky, May 2, 1970.
—CBS News, 3 Jan. 2026
The Colombian juggernaut sports a t-shirt and light blue denim jeans, while the Puerto Rican rapper wears a t-shirt and beige cargo pants.
—Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 31 Dec. 2025
Lori Harvey sports her Chanel pair with cargo slacks and a simple white tee.
—Alyssa Rotunno, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
The Red Bull Mini Cooper, which sports a large Red Bull can on top, is outfitted with a cooler on its backend, where the trunk would be.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 15 Dec. 2025
The 92-year-old artist, who sports a light-colored bob hairstyle featuring pink stripes, hot pink lipstick and blue eyeshadow has assembled a cult-like following in Kansas City, where people collect her ornaments.
—Kansas City Star, 13 Dec. 2025
In the photo, Aniston sports a warm, purse-lipped smile and wraps her arms around Curtis, who cheeses and looks to the right of the camera while resting his hands on his new love's.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
It’s filled to the brim with their most popular wares including leggings, sports bras, belt bags, and more.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey is preparing for his team of lawyers to make their argument in front of the top court, a case defending the state's Save Women's Sports Act, which prohibits those who were assigned male at birth from playing on competitive female sports teams.
—Lauren Linder, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Clean soap dishes, grooming tools, kids' toys, and sports equipment in your dishwasher.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 9 Jan. 2026
On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including a notable participant in the Houston Astros‘ pursuit of free agent pitcher Tatsuya Imai.
—Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 8 Jan. 2026
The advisory board will consist of up to two delegates from each club, including investors, cultural leaders and sports legends.
—Jessica Golden, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2025
The vast majority of recent prediction markets growth has come from sports betting, a category that has come online only recently due to legal uncertainty.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
Ripley believes his local ABC affiliates should still have their content, primarily news and sports, carried through to YouTube TV subscribers, regardless of Disney’s position.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025
Those stories have started travelling better to other nations in the CEE region like the Czech Republic and Romania, according to Kłuskiewicz, who cited projects like High Water and sports movie Boxer.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
One car’s wheels have been removed; another sports a mangled fender.
—Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
The ample bathroom sports a double vanity and a free-standing soaking tub, while there are two separate closets for couples or a single fashionista.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 6 Jan. 2026
Jockey Diane Crump sports a mud pack on her cap and face after winning a Kentucky Derby race riding Right Sean, in Louisville, Kentucky, May 2, 1970.
—CBS News, 3 Jan. 2026
The Colombian juggernaut sports a t-shirt and light blue denim jeans, while the Puerto Rican rapper wears a t-shirt and beige cargo pants.
—Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 31 Dec. 2025
Lori Harvey sports her Chanel pair with cargo slacks and a simple white tee.
—Alyssa Rotunno, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
The Red Bull Mini Cooper, which sports a large Red Bull can on top, is outfitted with a cooler on its backend, where the trunk would be.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 15 Dec. 2025
The 92-year-old artist, who sports a light-colored bob hairstyle featuring pink stripes, hot pink lipstick and blue eyeshadow has assembled a cult-like following in Kansas City, where people collect her ornaments.
—Kansas City Star, 13 Dec. 2025
In the photo, Aniston sports a warm, purse-lipped smile and wraps her arms around Curtis, who cheeses and looks to the right of the camera while resting his hands on his new love's.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sports
Noun
-
Yes, as it is said, some jokes just write themselves.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Performers have been reprimanded for making racist, sexist and homophobic jokes during shows in the late 1990s and 2000s, according to Westword, and Stock Show officials were quick to apologize.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
As Cuenca plays a ball to the feet of his striker, Wilson dashes in the other direction, delaying Ibrahima Konate’s forward jump because the centre-back knows Bradley is unable to track both him and Robinson at the same time.—
Ahmed Walid,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
In the dark romantic comedy-drama, True Blood alum Skarsgård, 49, plays tough biker Ray, who enters into a dominant-submissive relationship with Colin (Melling), a shy and directionless man who sings in a barbershop quartet.—
Eric Andersson,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Maurice Vasquez dances in his prison cell to blaring rap music, wearing a straw hat and designer glasses.—
Matthew Ormseth,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Louis-Dreyfus played Elaine Benes, Jerry's ex-girlfriend who dances poorly and inadvertently steals intellectual property from Tom Wilson II, the creator of Ziggy.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Apple AirTags are essentially mini GPS tracking devices that sync directly to your iPhone’s Find My app, which displays location info on your phone.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Jan. 2026
-
There’s no denying who this Papier planner belongs to—the customizable monogram tastefully displays your initials, embossed with gold foil.—
Kristina Rutkowski,
Vogue,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
His tío was a babalao (a Santería priest) who could conjure a spirit known as an orixá that could then take the form of its targets’ ancestors.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The main challenges include aligning climate finance commitments between developed and developing countries, addressing the socio-economic impacts of climate change on vulnerable populations and ensuring that emission reduction targets are consistent with the latest climate science.—
Matthew Glasser,
ABC News,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Early in each game week, Gopie pores through film of upcoming opponents and hops on a FaceTime with Bonitto to discuss his matchup’s tendencies from recent weeks.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
21 Dec. 2025
-
After his breakfast of eggs, bacon, orange juice and potatoes, before home games, the running back hops in his Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupe SUV and drives 15 minutes through Atlanta’s notorious traffic to the stadium.—
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
There will be entertainment, exhibits highlighting veterans’ stories, food and veterans’ service organizations will participate.—
Heather McRea,
Oc Register,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The novella lacks the temporal markers that indicate how much time has passed between episodes and exhibits an abundance of characters with ruptured psyches.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But the jury in the federal civil lawsuit found that Moore violated Gillispie's rights by hiding evidence that would have helped Gillispie's defense and creating unfair lineup procedures for the victims.—
Laura A. Bischoff,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The victims were Kato Allen Perez, born in 1992, who was previously known to be deceased; Nikko Lee Perez, who was born in 1996; Mika Alena Perez, who was born in 1995; a second Nikko Lee Perez, who was born in 1997; and Kato Krow Perez, born in 2001.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sports.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sports. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share