athletic

adjective

ath·​let·​ic ath-ˈle-tik How to pronounce athletic (audio)
nonstandard
ˌa-thə-ˈle- How to pronounce athletic (audio)
1
: of or relating to athletes or athletics
an athletic scholarship
athletic teams
athletic events
2
a
: characteristic of an athlete
athletic talent
a strong, athletic build
b
: vigorous, active
an athletic lifestyle
c
: active or gifted in sports, games, or exercises
He's not very athletic.
3
: used by athletes
athletic shoes/equipment
the school's athletic fields
4
athletically adverb

Examples of athletic in a Sentence

They each received an athletic scholarship to the school. Students can get discount tickets for all athletic events. His athletic career spanned three decades. She has great athletic ability. She's tall and has an athletic build.
Recent Examples on the Web The video appears to be taken from a distance and shows the Princess of Wales dressed casually in black leggings and a zip-up athletic jacket with hot pink accents, with her long hair worn down and straight. Sam Reed, Glamour, 18 Mar. 2024 Lead singer Blair Tramel shouted vociferously and did jumping jacks while her band bashed out athletic riffs, punctuated by blasts from the whistle that their guitarist had around his neck. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2024 Ha-Seong Kim was fast and athletic growing up, but undersized by baseball standards. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024 Her parents, Kim and Karrie King — still in awe of their daughter’s athletic prowess, and still wondering where her soccer abilities come from — will be there, watching. Jason Mastrodonato, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2024 There’s tons of gorgeous sandals available at the Zappos sale, from formal to casual and athletic — and all are pretty great deals. Aly Walansky, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2024 The singer took a post-breakfast stroll with her boyfriend Callum Turner this morning in Los Angeles, and both the singer and the actor opted for athletic ’fits. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 15 Mar. 2024 His father, a financier, passed on to him a love of soccer, and the athletic uniforms of the ’80s and ’90s had an impact on Aka’s personal style. Nicole Demarco Dalya Benor Caitie Kelly Juan A. Ramírez Monica Mendal Janet Siroto, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 With her height, athletic frame and spot-on fashion sense, the five-time Grand Slam champion can really pull off the darker locks, in our humble opinion. Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'athletic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see athlete

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of athletic was in 1585

Dictionary Entries Near athletic

Cite this Entry

“Athletic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/athletic. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

athletic

adjective
ath·​let·​ic ath-ˈlet-ik How to pronounce athletic (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of athletes or athletics
2
3
athletically adverb

Medical Definition

athletic

adjective
ath·​let·​ic ath-ˈlet-ik How to pronounce athletic (audio)
: characterized by heavy frame, large chest, and powerful muscular development : mesomorphic
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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