sport

1 of 3

verb

sported; sporting; sports

intransitive verb

1
a
: to amuse oneself : frolic
lambs sporting in the meadow
b
: to engage in a sport
2
a
: to mock or ridicule something
b
: to speak or act in jest : trifle
3
[sport entry 2] : to deviate or vary abruptly from type (as by bud variation) : mutate

transitive verb

1
: to display or wear usually ostentatiously : boast
sporting expensive new shoes
2
[sport entry 2] : to put forth as a sport or bud variation

sport

2 of 3

noun

1
a
: a source of diversion : recreation
b
: sexual play
c(1)
: physical activity engaged in for pleasure
(2)
: a particular activity (such as an athletic game) so engaged in
2
b
: often mean-spirited jesting : mockery, derision
3
a
: something tossed or driven about in or as if in play
4
a
b
: a person considered with respect to living up to the ideals of sportsmanship
a good sport
a poor sport
c
: a companionable person
5
: an individual exhibiting a sudden deviation from type beyond the normal limits of individual variation usually as a result of mutation especially of somatic tissue

sport

3 of 3

adjective

variants or sports
: of, relating to, or suitable for sports
especially : styled in a manner suitable for casual or informal wear
sport coats
Choose the Right Synonym for sport

fun, jest, sport, game, play mean action or speech that provides amusement or arouses laughter.

fun usually implies laughter or gaiety but may imply merely a lack of serious or ulterior purpose.

played cards just for fun

jest implies lack of earnestness and may suggest a hoaxing or teasing.

hurt by remarks said only in jest

sport applies especially to the arousing of laughter against someone.

teasing begun in sport led to anger

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

made game of their poor relations

play stresses the opposition to earnest without implying any malice or mischief.

pretended to strangle his brother in play

Examples of sport in a Sentence

Verb She showed up at the party sporting a bright red hat. from sailing to snorkeling, each day we sported at a different activity offered by the beach resort Noun She likes to play sport. Ice-skating with friends is my favorite sport.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
That September, the actress confirmed their relationship and posted a photo sporting his tour merchandise. Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 Meghan Markle and Katie Holmes were spotted sporting the brand’s Theo dress, while the likes of Lily Aldrige and Selena Gomez have also added Posse pieces into their wardrobes. Maia Torres, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2024 The aircraft sports a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-140A engine, for a maximum cruise speed of 210 knots and extended range of 1,129 nautical miles. Daniel Cote, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2024 The video cuts between footage of Bacon and Sedgwick separately grooving down the same hallway (presumably in their family home), sporting white tank tops and jeans to emulate Bacon's character from the 1984 classic (with white Crocs for a slightly more modernized look). Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2024 Experts suspect the star sports a ring of dust around its circumference, like the Solar System's icy Kuiper Belt. Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024 In the Margaret Thatcher biopic, Streep sports a stiff upper lip and no patience for snobby misogyny as England's first female prime minister. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024 While royals aren’t always known for their practical fashion choices, Meghan Markle just made a case for one comfortable spring shoe by sporting two stylish versions of the trend in a single day. Averi Baudler, Peoplemag, 27 Feb. 2024 Film data research firm the Quorum found in 2022 that 77% of 6,000 respondents would want to watch television shows released in theaters, beating out other types of entertainment like live music and sporting events. Conor Murray, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
Noun
People who picked up the sport after watching Drive to Survive may not realize this, but there was a brief period during the 1970s when six-wheeled F1 cars were a thing on grid. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2024 Ash began to play ice hockey at age 5, and her passion for this sport continues to grow. Marcus Reichley, The Arizona Republic, 11 Mar. 2024 Jordan Spieth’s disqualification reignites ‘dumbest rule in all of sports’ debate Lewis’ colleague, analyst Brandel Chamblee, disagreed with the verdict. Jack Bantock, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024 Winners are announced each Friday online and in the print edition of the Mercury News and East Bay Times sports sections. Darren Sabedra, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 Smelling salts do not appear to improve performance in any sport. USA TODAY, 10 Mar. 2024 The company plans to expand into making VR games for other sports, including boxing, baseball and tennis. Vanessa Perdomo, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2024 The 13 Best Beaches in Bali Guanacaste, Costa Rica Costa Rica's northwestern coast boasts incredible beaches and an active culture — which isn't surprising considering people come to Guanacaste to do every water sport imaginable. Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2024 The community would create an open space of 712 acres featuring sports fields and trails between itself and neighboring city Rio Vista, a town of about 10,000 people on the Sacramento River. Melody Gutierrez, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Marissa Meyer Meyer, who was a multi-sport athlete at Fairfield High School, is a finalist for the 2023 Sorensen Award, given annually to the nation's top women's collegiate rugby player. Shelby Dermer, The Enquirer, 6 Apr. 2023 The multi-sport athlete shot 56% from the field and 82% from the free-throw line, and graduates with over 1,000 career points. Brian Haenchen, The Indianapolis Star, 14 Mar. 2023 Multi-sport athletes Aiden Jones and Aiden Link all played two years. Brendan Connelly, The Enquirer, 6 Mar. 2023 The newest set of football immortals included former Auburn High School multi-sport athlete and Troy football standout DeMarcus Ware. Mark Inabinett | Minabinett@al.com, al, 9 Feb. 2023 Woods seemingly was a multi-sport athlete at Northwestern, based on his Hudl page highlighting his time as a football player for the Colts. Kirkland Crawford, Detroit Free Press, 1 Feb. 2023 The multi-sport athlete dropped 29 in a three-point win over Clinton Central and came close to triple-doubles against Covenant Christian, Delphi and Frankfort. ... Brian Haenchen, The Indianapolis Star, 30 Jan. 2023 Wednesday at the start of NCAA’s final signing period of the school year, the multi-talented, multi-sport Francis Parker senior signed to play football for Army. San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2023 Gamers of all ages will love the TopGolf Swing Suite featuring a large screen, several multi-sport games and comfortable lounge seating. Gabi De La Rosa, Chron, 27 Jan. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sport.' 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

Verb

Middle English, to divert, disport, short for disporten

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

circa 1586, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sport was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near sport

Cite this Entry

“Sport.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sport. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sport

1 of 3 verb
ˈspō(ə)rt How to pronounce sport (audio)
ˈspȯ(ə)rt
1
: to amuse oneself : frolic
2
: to speak or act in fun
3

sport

2 of 3 noun
1
b
: physical activity (as hunting, running, or an athletic game) engaged in for pleasure
2
b
: fun entry 1 sense 3
make sport of someone
3
: a person who shows good sportsmanship
4
: an individual that shows a sudden major change from the normal type usually as a result of a mutation
a yellow sport among the red apples

sport

3 of 3 adjective
variants or sports
: of, relating to, or suitable for sports
sports equipment
also : made in a style suitable for casual or informal wear
a sport coat

Medical Definition

: an individual exhibiting a sudden deviation from type beyond the normal limits of individual variation usually as a result of mutation especially of somatic tissue

More from Merriam-Webster on sport

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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