acrobatic
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or like an acrobat or acrobatics.
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having the good balance, agility, and coordination of an acrobat.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of acrobatic
From the Greek word akrobatikós, dating back to 1860–65. See acrobat, -ic
Explanation
Acrobatic describes something that's an amazing physical feat, especially if it involves agility and balance. An acrobatic dance routine might include back flips and handstands. If you're acrobatic, you're good at gymnastics or physical circus tricks. A border collie might make a particularly acrobatic Frisbee catch, twisting and spinning in the air, and a little boy could perform acrobatic cartwheels across the living room. The adjective comes from acrobat, which in French — acrobate — means "tightrope walker," from a Greek word, akrobates, "rope dancer," related to akrobatos, "going on tip toe" or "climbing up high."
Vocabulary lists containing acrobatic
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.
Loum Tchaouna: The winger provided some threat for Coventry on the wing and his speculative acrobatic effort in the first half had Raya panicking for a second.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pulled out all the stops for Xi when he arrived on Monday, from a red-carpet welcome to elaborate acrobatic performances.
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026
Mercutio in “Romeo and Juliet” begets similar difficulties: He loves to hear himself talk, and his utterances can have an acrobatic or even pyrotechnic quality.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 2026
Nacua said his focus last season was to reduce the number of balls he dropped, and he delivered even when it required acrobatic moves to pull in catches with one hand.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 2, 2026
This served as an introduction to your power move—which was your acrobatic move—the kind of thing that looked, sometimes, like what you saw gymnasts do on a pommel horse, except way cooler.
From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi
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.
