Synonyms

sled

American

[sled] / slɛd /

noun

a small vehicle consisting of a platform mounted on runners for use in traveling over snow or ice.
a sledge.

verb (used without object)

to coast, ride, or be carried on a sled.

verb (used with object)

to convey by sled.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

sledlike

adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

sleds

plural

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of sled

1350–1400; Middle English sledde < Middle Dutch; akin to German Schlitten sled, sleigh; cf. slide

Explanation

If you want to slide down a snowy hill, hop on a sled! A sled can be simple and plastic, or it can be more complicated, with wood and metal runners, like the kind that huskies pull across the tundra. Mush! Sleds sit on runners made to glide over an icy or snowy surface. Large sleds can seat several riders and are pulled by one or more horses, while dog sleds pull one or two people and are usually pulled by several dogs. The sled you get out of the garage in the winter is made of plastic, wood, or metal, and it's meant to slide fast downhill. In the U.K., the word for a sled is sledge.

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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:

sled sleds sledded sledding

Northern sled dogs became compact and heavily coated for cold conditions, while hunting dogs near the equator tended to be leaner and better suited to heat.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 10, 2026

The actor added that he imagined turning the fictional home into a “movie fun house” where people could sled down the stairs just like Kevin does in the movie.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 2, 2026

Luckily for both women, there was a well-worn path from the track to the Winter Olympics: Just hop onto a sled.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2026

Only one person competes, pushing the sled at the start and piloting down the course at speeds of 70 to 80 mph.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 16, 2026

I sink down on my knees next to the sled in a kind of surrender, and when I look up, my friend is there.

From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen

They are mounted on sleds and fired down a track to make sure they remain structurally sound when subjected to 16 times the force of gravity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026

Army Green Berets lumbered through a northern Swedish pine forest, struggling not to fall on their brand new skis as they dragged sleds over hills and frozen creeks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 23, 2026

Also on the Cortina track, keep an eye out for Brad Hall's two-man and four-man sleds in the men's bobsleigh.

From BBC ● Feb. 1, 2026

As sleds descended the hills of Central Park, traders hunting for an edge ventured outside to take measurements of snowfall accumulation on parked cars.

From Barron's ● Jan. 26, 2026

The school had two sleds, three dogs to the sled, and he taught us how to race.

From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell

"I’ve been trying to juggle," she said as her 7-year-old sledded on the hill outside and her 4-year-old didn’t want to go out.

From Fox News ● Jan. 7, 2022

We sledded when we would’ve been chipping ice.

From Washington Times ● Feb. 8, 2021

Police say he sledded down a hill near on Saturday into the car’s path and later died, despite the efforts of a witness and first responders.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 18, 2017

In winter, children sledded on the slopes and skated on the frozen pond.

From New York Times ● Oct. 7, 2014

The friends still couldn't believe they had sledded down the highest hill in River Heights!

From "Case of the Sneaky Snowman: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #5" by Carolyn Keene

The partnership between people and dogs became especially specialized in the Arctic, where Indigenous communities developed highly sophisticated cultures centered on dog sledding.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 10, 2026

While winning that case would be uphill sledding, the report may have ultimately been a useful development for him.

From Slate ● Apr. 25, 2026

Through their court filings, both recount head injuries sustained while sledding and lingering symptoms.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 23, 2026

California’s attorney general was ready to threaten either buyer with rough sledding.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 27, 2026

I feel the way I used to when Celia let me tag along for big-kid sledding and trick-or-treating with her friends —grown up and on the brink of something wonderful.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

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