dart
Americannoun
-
darts
plural
-
a small, slender missile that is pointed at one end and usually feathered at the other and is propelled by hand, as in the game of darts, or by a blowgun when used as a weapon.
-
something similar in function to such a missile, as the stinging member of an insect.
-
(used with a singular verb) darts, a game in which darts are thrown at a target usually marked with concentric circles divided into segments and with a bull's-eye in the center.
-
an act of darting; a sudden swift movement.
-
a tapered seam of fabric for adjusting the fit of a garment.
verb (used without object)
-
darts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
darted,
past participle, past
-
darting
present participle
verb (used with object)
-
darts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
darted,
past participle, past
-
darting
present participle
noun
-
a small narrow pointed missile that is thrown or shot, as in the game of darts
-
a sudden quick movement
-
zoology a slender pointed structure, as in snails for aiding copulation or in nematodes for penetrating the host's tissues
-
a tapered tuck made in dressmaking
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
dartsimple
-
dartssimple
-
have dartedperfect
-
has dartedperfect
-
am dartingprogressive
-
are dartingprogressive
-
is dartingprogressive
-
have been dartingperfect progressive
-
has been dartingperfect progressive
Past
-
dartedsimple
-
had dartedperfect
-
was dartingprogressive
-
were dartingprogressive
-
had been dartingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of dart
1275–1325; Middle English < Anglo-French, Old French < Old Low Franconian; compare Old English daroth, Old High German tart, Old Norse darrathr spear, lance
Explanation
A dart is a tiny missile with a pointy end that can be a weapon or part of a game, like those pointy things that people throw at dartboards. If a person darts, it just means she’s moving quickly. A dart can be thrown or fired by blowing through a contraption, like when people who study big animals shoot a tranquilizer dart at a lion so they can put it to sleep without getting close. Darts can be weapons or part of a game often found in bars. Just as a dart moves quickly, a person can dart if they move quickly. Bees tend to dart around in the air. In football, a quick running back darts to avoid defenders
Vocabulary lists containing dart
"On the Menu" and "Find the Adaptations"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Let's Race!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"I Hear America Singing," "I, Too," "Where Is My Country?" "Legal Alien," and "Human Family"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
A steel beam had pierced a subway station like a lawn dart.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
And just like that first-season turnaround in a pub dart game, where Ted shows up Rebecca’s vituperative ex, Rupert, good old Coach Lasso leaps in to caramelize Alice’s insult into golden, heartwarming sunshine.
From Salon ● Sep. 10, 2026
That is pretty close to throwing a dart.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026
He smiled after I busted him for looking, which made me recoil in horror and quickly dart over to hide in the pet food aisle.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Her eyes flit over to me and then, when she sees my expression, dart back at regular intervals.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
And to create this air of discomfort, Fennell crafted a movie that darts from hopeful to despairingly bleak in the blink of an eye.
From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026
A vibrant pantomime-style atmosphere is part and parcel of the darts experience and Dutch and German crowds are amongs the most raucous - but it is clear Littler believes he has been unfairly targeted.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
But after threatening to boycott events in the Netherlands after being roundly booed by the crowd during his last-16 win over Nathan Aspinall, the Warrington-based player failed to produce his best darts against Clayton.
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
There was table tennis, darts and computer games available at the team's luxury hotel, which overlooked Darling Harbour.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
His next words pierced her flesh like darts of scented ice.
From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman
His eyes darted around as he talked, unsure who he could trust.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
The next inning, the Rays’ Ben Williamson hit a two-out single to Tucker in right field, and Tampa’s Jonathan Aranda darted around third toward home.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
Then Ben White darted over early in the new half, followed quickly by Steyn and Graham, each for their second of the match.
From BBC ● Mar. 7, 2026
The twins darted from the pool as they heard it and could mimic the howl by the end of the trip.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 7, 2026
As they darted by, the squid released puffs of black ink to hide themselves, and Roz found herself lost in an inky cloud.
From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown
Tickets to events featuring him are often sold out, applications to darting academies are reported to be at an all-time high and the Briton has transcended the sport.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
After a quiet opener, Taylor - who turned professional in 2016 - burst into life in the second round, firing quick combinations before darting back out of range.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
Dan used a horizontal bar lined with LED lights that kept my eyes dancing and darting as he prompted me to recall a distressing childhood memory.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026
Yamamoto cruised through the first inning, striking out third baseman Yoan Moncado swinging and getting shortstop Zach Neto to look at a called strike three on a darting sinker.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 21, 2026
It happened again: a swatch of pale light, like a shadow made of moonlight, darting through the dark toward the woods.
From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce
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.
