footrace

American

[foot-reys] / ˈfʊtˌreɪs /

noun

a race run by contestants on foot.

Etymology

Origin of footrace

First recorded in 1655–65; foot + race ¹

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:

footrace

For Los Angeles law enforcement, the Baker to Vegas footrace is the premier sporting event of the year.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 29, 2026

It’s a footrace, then, between the law and the clock.

From Slate ● Feb. 6, 2024

For example, instead of a coin toss, a sports bet could be used, such as a footrace pitting retired sprinter Usain Bolt against singer Taylor Swift.

From Scientific American ● May 4, 2023

Gabriel Geay of Tanzania won a footrace for second, finishing 10 seconds behind the winner and two seconds ahead of Kenyan Benson Kipruto.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 17, 2023

We cannot take the metaphor of a footrace literally.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023