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sweatshirt

American  
[swet-shurt] / ˈswɛtˌʃɜrt /
Or sweat shirt

noun

  • sweatshirts
    plural
  1. a loose, long-sleeved, collarless pullover of soft, absorbent fabric, as cotton jersey, with close-fitting or elastic cuffs and sometimes a drawstring at the waist, commonly worn during athletic activity for warmth or to induce sweating.


sweatshirt British  
/ ˈswɛtˌʃɜːt /

noun

  1. a long-sleeved knitted cotton sweater worn by athletes, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of sweatshirt

First recorded in 1920–25; sweat + shirt

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

His press conferences are almost theatrically placid, Brunson often slouched in a hat and/or hooded sweatshirt and deflecting any effort to valorize his success.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 8, 2026

Dr. Becky, wearing the Gi sweatshirt again, instructs: “We have to understand before we intervene.”

From Slate May 10, 2026

Suleiman appeared in the dock on Friday wearing a police-issued grey sweatshirt and trousers.

From BBC May 1, 2026

I’ll throw a hooded sweatshirt in my backpack, too, especially if it’s going to be windy.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 1, 2026

He had on a gray sweatshirt that read CAL POLY.

From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez

A plainspoken veteran with a dense beard and a closet full of grimy sweatshirts, Platner fit the bill.

From Slate Jul. 8, 2026

About a five-minute walk away, though, there is a merch store selling CrimeCon-branded gifts, shot glasses and $80 sweatshirts.

From BBC Jun. 20, 2026

After a visit home, I returned to campus with a stockpile, like a confectionery smuggler crossing state lines with sugary contraband stuffed between sweatshirts in my suitcase.

From Salon Mar. 17, 2026

Demand for its cotton t-shirts, sweatshirts and casual basics as well as new offerings like remained robust.

From The Wall Street Journal Feb. 26, 2026

“Next time you come up, Ryan Dean,” Doc Dad said, “do you think you could bring me one of those sweatshirts? I don’t have any rugby stuff anymore.”

From "Winger" by Andrew Smith

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