wrestling
Americannoun
-
a sport in which two opponents struggle hand to hand in order to pin or press each other's shoulders to the mat or ground, with the style, rules, and regulations differing widely in amateur and professional matches.
-
the act of a person who wrestles.
noun
Etymology
Origin of wrestling
before 1100; Middle English; Old English wrǣstlunge. See wrestle, -ing 1
Explanation
Wrestling is a sport in which two athletes compete to see who can hold the other down, using specific moves. If you enjoy grappling with your brother, pinning each other to the couch, you might want to take up wrestling. Wrestling is one of the oldest sports, dating back to the ancient Babylonians and Egyptians. The original Greek Olympics included a brutal, violent form of wrestling. If you watch or participate in high school or college wrestling, you know that these days, it's a highly controlled, athletic sport. So-called professional wrestling, on the other hand, is mainly a form of entertainment, featuring gaudy costumes and elaborately choreographed moves.
Vocabulary lists containing wrestling
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.
Wrestling is set to reach a wider audience in the next few years - the leadership team at WWE changed after the company was purchased by Endeavor in 2023.
From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026
As an early 2000s champ in the sport, Mullin boasted an undefeated 5-0 record and the Oklahoma chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame inducted him in 2016.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026
A wrestler during his school years, Mullin was inducted into the Oklahoma Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016.
From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026
Since March 2023, Netflix has broadcast more than 200 different live events, including a weekly World Wrestling Entertainment show, whose rights it snagged in a $5 billion deal.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 13, 2026
At school, I walked into class with my hands clasped together up over my head like the World Wrestling Champion of the Universe.
From "Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key" by Jack Gantos
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
