sled

American  

[sled] / slɛd /

noun

1. a small vehicle consisting of a platform mounted on runners for use in traveling over snow or ice.

2. a sledge.

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verb (used without object)

sledded, sledding

1. to coast, ride, or be carried on a sled.

verb (used with object)

sledded, sledding

1. to convey by sled.

Other Word Forms

• sledlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of sled

1350–1400; Middle English sledde < Middle Dutch; akin to German Schlitten sled, sleigh; cf. slide

Explanation

If you want to slide down a snowy hill, hop on a sled! A sled can be simple and plastic, or it can be more complicated, with wood and metal runners, like the kind that huskies pull across the tundra. Mush! Sleds sit on runners made to glide over an icy or snowy surface. Large sleds can seat several riders and are pulled by one or more horses, while dog sleds pull one or two people and are usually pulled by several dogs. The sled you get out of the garage in the winter is made of plastic, wood, or metal, and it's meant to slide fast downhill. In the U.K., the word for a sled is sledge.

Example Sentences

He filed a lawsuit in December 2021 that asked USA Bobsled/Skeleton to implement a medical monitoring system to identify and treat sledders with sled head symptoms.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026

The actor added that he imagined turning the fictional home into a “movie fun house” where people could sled down the stairs just like Kevin does in the movie.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 2, 2026

Lauryn Williams won a gold medal on the track in the 2012 London Games and a silver on the back of Taylor’s sled two years later in Sochi.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026

They all have explosive power and speed over the initial acceleration phase where pushing the sled effectively is so vital.

From BBC • Feb. 14, 2026

The sled blows forward and sideways and I must ride the break to keep from running up on the dogs all across the bay.

From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen

Related Words

• bobsled
• luge