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.
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Recent Examples of sports
Greg Beacham,
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2026
John Locher The ceremony, held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, celebrates achievements across music, television, film and sports.
—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
Becky Hammon is hardly the first, and will not be the last, sports analyst to offer an opinion that does not age well.
—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
28 June 2026
Harry plans to watch and participate in a series of exhibition events alongside competitors from previous Invictus Games, officially launching the one-year countdown while showcasing both classic and new adaptive sports that will feature in Birmingham.
—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
28 June 2026
In the post-AI era of sports, that may be the only business model that matters.
—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
28 June 2026
In a rematch of the WNBA’s first-ever game from June 21, 1997, the Sparks overcame a 17-point Liberty lead, all while celebrating the inaugural matchup — and iconic alumni — that changed women’s sports forever.
—
Joaquin Ruiz,
Los Angeles Times,
22 June 2026
Sling Orange is targeted for sports and family networks, with access to 30-plus live channels including CNN, Disney Channel and, of course, ESPN.
—
Erin Lassner,
HollywoodReporter,
21 June 2026
On Polymarket’s larger international site, annual average sports volume accounts for less than 50% of the total.
—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
21 June 2026
Like Jason, Widow’s Bay’s Boogeyman sports a machete.
—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
In the picture, 17-year-old Ella sports a trendy brunette wolf cut.
—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
11 June 2026
Noun
Soccer has never been the main event on Canada’s busy sports calendar, and Les Rouges are playing in only their third World Cup this summer.
—
Greg Beacham,
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2026
John Locher The ceremony, held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, celebrates achievements across music, television, film and sports.
—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
Becky Hammon is hardly the first, and will not be the last, sports analyst to offer an opinion that does not age well.
—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
28 June 2026
Harry plans to watch and participate in a series of exhibition events alongside competitors from previous Invictus Games, officially launching the one-year countdown while showcasing both classic and new adaptive sports that will feature in Birmingham.
—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
28 June 2026
In the post-AI era of sports, that may be the only business model that matters.
—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
28 June 2026
In a rematch of the WNBA’s first-ever game from June 21, 1997, the Sparks overcame a 17-point Liberty lead, all while celebrating the inaugural matchup — and iconic alumni — that changed women’s sports forever.
—
Joaquin Ruiz,
Los Angeles Times,
22 June 2026
Sling Orange is targeted for sports and family networks, with access to 30-plus live channels including CNN, Disney Channel and, of course, ESPN.
—
Erin Lassner,
HollywoodReporter,
21 June 2026
On Polymarket’s larger international site, annual average sports volume accounts for less than 50% of the total.
—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
Verb
Ellie Goulding sports a black power suit at the V&A Summer Party 2026 in London on June 17.
—
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
21 June 2026
Like Jason, Widow’s Bay’s Boogeyman sports a machete.
—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
In the picture, 17-year-old Ella sports a trendy brunette wolf cut.
—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
11 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sports
Noun
-
And of course, every wrapper came with the delightfully terrible jokes.
-
Creator Alex Hirsch packed the show with enough jokes, pop culture references, and Easter eggs to inspire a cult fandom versed in the mythology of the quirky little town of Gravity Falls.
Verb
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The midfielder who plays professionally at nearby Los Angeles FC coolly chested it down and blasted it off the bounce into the bottom corner of Ronwen Williams’ net before sprinting away to celebrate with Canada’s bench in the second minute of second-half stoppage time.
-
Lucas Trejo, who plays for Club Sport Marítimo La Guaira, had spent much of the last three days combing through rubble and looking for signs of his wife Yanina and their children Aarón and Ainhoa.
Verb
-
Listen to the supple bass line, which dances throughout the song as its own character.
-
This stubbornly optimistic place, where family after family scrapes and claws and laughs and dances their way to a better tomorrow.
Verb
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Golden 1 Center displays a collection of vintage neon signs from historic local businesses, such as Shakey’s Pizza and Tower Records, on loan from the history center.
-
Throughout, the living room TV displays his screen time.
Noun
-
Stepping out of a restaurant onto the bustling streets of Ho Chi Minh City, as diners sit at street tables, the shooter pulls out a gun and fires on his targets from behind.
-
Sacramento established a sister city relationship with Sumy, a northeastern Ukrainian city about 30 miles from the Russian border that became one of the first targets of the invasion.
Verb
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Here, Matcha Milk toys the line between sweet and earthy, blending macadamia milk and vanilla with black tea and matcha accord.
Verb
-
Pinkie’s German immigrant father Emil Clemens Horst built an empire around hops cultivation, including owning vast fields around Campus Commons and other Sacramento areas.
-
With nothing holding her down but a dead-end job and an aging dad, a small-town Texan girl is swiftly bedazzled by a smooth criminal drifter, and hops into his car to pursue a life less ordinary.
Verb
-
At a time of fierce debate over how to teach American history, the mobile exhibits weigh in squarely on one side of the argument.
-
The chassis exhibits little flex, the buttons feel crisp and responsive, and the scroll wheel offers enough resistance to feel deliberate without becoming tiring.
Cite this Entry
“Sports.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sports. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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